Never Said Goodbye
by quiet-raindrop
Summary: They already knew what had happened—neither of them tried to remember that day, but neither of them could forget it. The question was now whether they could avoid it again. DickxBabs with Tim, Alfred, and Bruce
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **This is another '"what-if" story that I had in my mind.I've had this one done for a while, but I have never been quite sure of it. It didn't come out

as smoothly as I wanted but, eh, I'll learn and grow better . . .

**Disclaimer: **Sadly no, no, no, but if you want to get me a present . . . .

* * *

Never Said Goodbye

* * *

Chapter 1

Dick Grayson had just gotten off of the plane from Chicago, when he stopped to check his phone again. He and Wally were in the middle of playing a game and

as much as he hated to admit it, Wally was beating him badly.

Getting tired of losing, Dick shoved the phone in to his pocket and headed off to get his suitcase. The airport was pretty crowded with everyone coming and

going, but Dick managed to find the carousel that had all the suitcases from the plane that he was just on.

He moved his neck from side to side. His sleep on the plane had not been perfect, but it had been nice to sleep without interruption.

But he was home now, and Gotham was going to need his full attention as usual. He had actually missed doing patrol those few night he had to spend in the

windy city. Business trips for Bruce were a pain.

He watched as the bags started their slow rotation around on the belt. Various people came up and stood watching the long procession of bags.

Catching sight of his, Dick grabbed his small bag off the conveyer belt and swung it over his shoulder.

If he could weave his way through these people, he might be able to make it home for breakfast. Mmm. Alfred's pancakes.

He walked past the other carousels and set his sights on the exit.

"Hey could someone grab the red bag please?" A desperate voice called out.

Dick paused and turned his head to try and figure out where it came from. He looked around as no one else seemed to be moving a muscle.

Typical.

Spying a large red bag, Dick leaned over and grabbed it off the belt. It weighted a ton. How did anyone even manage to get this onto the plane?

Setting the duffel on the floor before he dropped it, he looked around for its owner. A charm hanging off the loop of the luggage tag caught his eye. It was a

small bat.

He froze.

Not even considering the fact that it was nosy, Dick picked up the luggage tag and look at the name.

He found that he couldn't breathe.

"Thank you so much." A feminine voice said next to him. "I just was looking around and there it went right past me."

"You always were such an airhead." He said softly, as if he couldn't even believe what was happening.

"I'm sorry?"

Dick turned to face her.

Red haired spilled over her shoulders and her blue eyes flashed.

"I said you were always such an airhead . . . Babs." He tried not to smile, but he couldn't help it.

Recognition crossed her face as she looked thunderstruck.

"Di . . .Dick." She said shortly, almost chocking on her words as she threw her arms around him.

He stood there frozen trying to register everything.

Barbara Gordon was back in Gotham.

She really wasn't an air-head. In fact, she was actually quite a brain but anytime that she forgot something or even gave the impression that she forgot

something, he would take the opportunity to call her an airhead.

Refocusing on her, she had pulled back and was staring at his face.

"Dick, I didn't even . . . I mean . . ." She put a hand to his face. "You are so . . . grown up."

Dick reached up and took her hand in his. He stared at their entwined hands as if he still couldn't believe that the warmth from her hands was real.

"Have you looked in the mirror lately?" He asked her.

"Is my hair bad?" Barbara asked, looking concerned.

He smiled as he realized that she was joking.

"It's beautiful Babs." He said nudging her chin with his hand.

Barbara looked pleased and brushed some hair behind her shoulder.

"I think it was the suit. I told you that you would get used to wearing one."

Dick looked displeased.

"No I'm not." He said firmly.

"Yes you are." Barbara insisted as she smoothed out his tie.

"I can't believe that you're here Dick." She said. "Are you coming or going?" She sounded worried.

"Coming, back from Chicago." He said trying to focus.

"I'm so glad." She said with her eyes alight.

"Your dad didn't breathe a word!" Dick exclaimed.

Barbara bit her lip.

"He doesn't know. It's supposed to be a surprise—but if you ever talk to my mom, the whole thing was planned out okay?" She rushed to say. "I know it was

kind of rebellious of me but I had to come back. I just had to."

Dick started laughing and Barbara had to join him.

Neither of them cared that hundreds of people were staring at them. All that mattered that they were both in the same place—together.

* * *

"So who is coming to pick you up?" He asked her.

Barbara shrugged.

"I was just going to take a taxi."

Dick's eyebrows shot up.

"No way. Not while I'm here." Dick insisted. "I'll take you."

"Oh, Dick, you don't have to."

"Are you kidding me?"

They both stood there grinning at each other.

"Let's go." Dick said as he picked up her bag.

"Babs . . ." He said while looking at her. "Don't tell me that this is full of books." He said knowingly.

"Just a few." She said with a grin. "I had to bring some."

"Some? Babs, there is a whole library in here."

"I'm sorry I'll help carry it." She said as she reached for it. Dick blocked her.

"No, I'll carry it." He insisted trying hard to pick it up with ease. He watched her start to smile.

"Are you sure you have time to take me?" She asked. "Don't you need to get back home and . . . report or something?"

Dick made a face.

"Nothing could stop me." He promised. "Come on." He said trying to walk towards the exit.

Barbara followed him with amusement.

It took them a little while, but they finally got to the lot where Dick had parked.

Setting down her bag, Dick stared at the outside of his car.

"This is going to be interesting." He said turning to her.

"I don't think that they build sport cars with the intentions of traveling women." Barbara told him standing beside him.

"You know?" He said. "I think that you are right. We should talk to them about that."

He walked around the car.

"I might be able to fit it in the passenger seat. Do you want to sit on the roof?"

Barbara hid a smile.

"Sure."

"Good. Wait." He said suddenly. "I don't have any rope."

"Oh, well." Barbara sighed hopelessly.

They both stood there silently before bursting out laughing.

Barbara wiped a tear from her eye.

Everything was perfect. Only Dick would offer to let her ride on the roof.

"Babs?" Dick said while looking concerned.

"I'm fine." She said hurriedly wiping another tear away. "I'm just happy."

"Then let's get you home."

"Oh, actually if you could drop me off at the police station. He should be there." She said with delight.

"Okay, to the station we go." Dick announced as he finished shoving her suitcase into the car.

* * *

"You need to stare at the road Dick. I promise that I won't disappear." Barbara said with a fond smile.

"Sorry." He said staring back at the road. "I just can't believe that you are here."

"Me neither. The city looks different." She said gazing out the window.

Feeling her eyes on him, he turned to face her.

"If I can't stare at you, you can't stare at me."

Barbara smiled and looked out the window again.

He had grown up so much, she knew he would, but her Dick was still in there. His perfect blue eyes and brilliant smile kept staring back at her.

"So tell me everything!" She demanded to know.

"Everything?" Dick said with a laugh. "That could take a while."

"I guess." Barbara said softly. "How long has it been?"

Dick stared at the steering wheel.

"We were twelve right?" He asked her.

She nodded slowly feeling a lump grow in her throat.

They both could do the math. It had been six years. Six long years.

* * *

*Flashback*

* * *

"Are you coming Babs?" Dick called out to her from across the school yard. She walked slowly as if she was still tired, but her face held a different expression.

Not waiting for her to reach him, he ran over to meet her.

"What's wrong?" He asked her.

Her mouth opened slightly, but then she shut it and replaced it with a smile.

"Nothing. Come on, let's have a good day." She said tugging his arm.

Dick smiled and his concern melted away.

At lunch, Dick pulled out his worn notebook that contained their list of things that they wanted to do this coming summer.

"Not many days left now." He told her with a smile.

Barbara nodded and stuffed a fork-full of food into her mouth.

"We have like, fifty things so far." He said quickly adding them up. "So we should never run out of things to do. This was a really great idea you had Babs."

A grin lit up his face. She lukewarmly returned it. He didn't notice.

As they walked out of school that day, everything in the world seemed perfect.

"Hey, do you want to stop and get ice cream?" He asked her. "To day is a perfect day for it." He said while staring up in to the sky.

"Sure, I guess."

Dick started.

"You _guess_? What kind of answer is that? Summer better come quickly, you are forgetting how to have fun." He joked.

Barbara stopped walking and for the first time Dick noticed that she was crying.

Barbara, crying?

"Babs, what's wrong?" He had never seen her cry before. The sight was terrible.

"Tell me." He insisted rubbing her arm.

She put her hands to her face trying to hold back the tears.

"I'm sorry." She chocked. "I was going to tell you earlier, but I didn't have the heart."

Dick felt like an idiot for not realizing it.

"Well, don't worry." He murmured. "Whatever it is, we can handle it." He said positively.

Barbara shook her head as the tears kept flowing.

Dick felt helpless. What was he supposed to do?

"It's . . . it's . . ." Barbara's voice trailed off as she took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her eyes. Her face was now as red as her hair. "It's my parents

they're . . . they're . . ."

Dick winced and looked at the ground. He knew that the Gordons were having some problems. Mrs. Gordon was getting tired of putting up with the everyday

stress that Gotham brought, but Commissioner Gordon was not willing to give up the fight. Dick had tried not to pay attention, but it was kind of hard not to.

Barbara had been stuck in the crosshairs and occasionally she would vent about it to him.

"I'm . . . sorry." Dick offered lamely since had no idea what else to say.

"It gets worse."

Dick looked back up at her with concern. Worse? What was could be worse than your parents getting divorced?

"She's moving to San Francisco."

Dick blinked. That was far away.

"I'm going with her."

Dick felt as if he had been slapped.

Barbara felt a fresh set of tears coming at the sight of his face.

"Wh . . .wh . . . whe . . .why?" Dick sputtered out. A look of utter misery was on his face.

Barbara rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

"She thinks that I will be . . . better off there. My dad told me that he would be more at ease if he knew I wasn't here." She said, trying to sound calm.

Dick couldn't think. His head was a mess. They couldn't just sent her away. They couldn't just take her . . . they just couldn't!

"I'm so sorry." Barbara said as she engulfed him in a hug.

He didn't even feel it. He was numb.

Turning his head more towards hers, he felt hot tears running down her face onto his.

"When do you leave?" He managed to ask without his voice cracking.

"After school is out." She said into his shoulder.

Two weeks? He had two weeks left with her?

His mind wandered to the list in his backpack.

It was never going to get done now. Never.

* * *

*End Flashback*

* * *

Barbara let out a deep breath and chased the lump in her throat away. She wasn't that little girl anymore, she was eighteen now and she was not going to

start crying.

"So what kind of everything do you want to know about?" He asked her.

She smiled in appreciation of his trying to lighten the mood.

"Well, I really want to find out what happened to my Robin."

Dick's head snapped up.

"Aw, Babs you aren't still obsessed with that are you?" Looking over at her, he immediately knew the answer.

She had always been fascinated by the Dynamic Duo, Robin in particular after he had saved her life.

"Well, duh!" She said with a smile. "Okay, so there are tons of internet rumors about it and I just want to make sure that he is still alive. Because as far as

everyone can tell the Robin at the moment is not the same one as when I was a kid."

Dick fought a smile. She _had _been keeping up.

"So if he is not the current Robin, where is he? Most everyone is in agreement that he is Nightwing now, but I don't know if I buy that." She said stopping to

rub her nose. "I just have to know."

"And how are you going to manage that? And who is 'everyone'?" Dick asked curiously.

"The website I follow." She explained. "I'm not quite sure, but I just have this feeling that if I can see him I'll just know."

Dick blinked. He would love to know how she was going to manage that one.

He heard Barbara give a squeal.

"I just can't wait!" She said with a huge smile as she looked out at the old familiar city.

"Calm down Babs, you are acting like a tourist." Dick rolling his eyes.

Barbara slapped his shoulder.

"Does Gotham even _have _tourists?" She asked.

"Um, maybe." Dick said with a shrug. "I mean, I guess. Some maybe."

"A brochure from Gotham. I wonder what that looks like." Barbara said running a hand through her hair.

"I bet it touts our lovely parks and excellent transportation system." Dick said trying to sound poetic.

"More psychopaths per acre than anywhere else in the world." Barbara said cracking a grin.

"I'm sure that will be relegated to some page near the end." Dick said while stopping at a light.

"This is a weird crazy city, but I love it."

Dick smiled and hit the gas as the light turned green.

"My dad sent me a picture of the new police headquarters when it was completed last year. I can't wait to see it."

She said, happily leaning back in the seat.

"Well, it will be coming up on your right." Dick said teasingly.

Barbara inched closer to the window and rolled it down so that she could stick her head out.

She grinned with excitement as they drove past all the familiar buildings that she had grown up around.

Then there it was—Gotham Police Headquarters.

Dick pulled right in front.

"It's . . ." Barbara began to say as she stared at the outside.

"Defaced?" Dick guessed.

Barbara nodded. The bullet holes across the front were kind of hard to miss.

"How long did that take?"

"Eh, hour, hour and a half."

"Barbara rolled her eyes. Nothing new lasted long in Gotham.

"Well, go on in. I'll bring in your bag." Dick told her.

"Really? Thanks!"

Dick watched as she sped happily up the steps. Putting the car into gear, he hoped that there was going to be a close parking space.

He had finally lugged her suitcase to the bottom of the stairs when Barbara popped back out.

"So?" He said with a grin.

"He isn't here!" Barbara exclaimed looking depressed. "He's at some all-day police conference!"

Dick smacked the side of his head.

"I totally knew that. I completely forgot! When your dad came over to play chess with Bruce, he mentioned something about it."

"Now who is the airhead?" She said giving him a smile followed by a sigh. She paced along the sidewalk.

"Wait, my dad still comes over to play chess with Bruce?" She asked.

Dick smiled. That is how the both of them started playing together.

"Well, _I'm _not playing it with him."

Barbara had to smile. Dick was never good at chess. "I guess I will just go home and wait for him."

"Not when you can spend the day with me." Dick said slyly.

"Are you sure you really don't have to get home?" She asked him.

Dick shrugged.

"I wasn't supposed to be home this early anyway, but I was able to finish up and catch an earlier flight. So . . . I am all yours."

Barbara bit her lip and suddenly felt shy.

"Well, if you want to . . ." She said giving a grin.

"Great. Where do you want to go? Do you want to get something to eat? Do you want to go to the park, or just drive around, or . . .?"

"Let's just focus on getting my suitcase back into your car." She said laughing.

* * *

"So where to?" Dick said as he started the engine of the car.

"Everywhere?" Barbara asked. "No, um, the park. The one with the big swings?"

"Sure thing." Dick said.

In minutes, they were both on the largest swings on any playground in Gotham. The park was quiet since it was still fairly early. No one took notice of the two

young adults racing to see who could go higher.

Without warning, Dick flipped off the swing and somersaulted to the ground with a perfect landing.

Barbara screeched her swing to a halt. Dirt spewed up from the ground as she used her feet to stop.

"Dick, that scared me to death! Why do you do that? It practically causes my heart to stop!" She lectured him.

He gave her a ruefully smile.

"Come on Babs, I've got to stay in practice." He said giving her the sad look that she could never say no to.

"All right, just don't kill yourself." She said seriously as she dusted her pants off. Looking over at Dick, he was dirty too. She had to laugh.

Without his suit jacket, tie, and now with his hair messed up, he was starting to look more like her Dick than ever.

"What?" He asked her and he brushed some dust off his rolled up sleeves.

"Everything. Just everything." She told him happily.

"Good. Let's go eat." He said running a hand through his coal black hair.

* * *

Barbara stared out at the view over the river. Turning her head around, she watched as Dick cut into his waffles.

"You going to eat?' He asked her.

"Yeah, just trying to wrap my head around everything." She said as she picked up her fork.

"So you just decided to come back this year?"

"Well, it's not that simple. My mom wouldn't let me go by myself and she was always so busy with her work at the ad agency that she never had the time. So

two years ago I made her promise that once I graduated that I could come here—with or without her. So here I am." She ended proudly. "So the time rolled

around and I started planning. She decided that she couldn't make it so, I planned for it to be a surprise."

"Is she happy there?" Dick asked softly not quite sure if it was a polite question to ask.

Barbara's eyes dimmed.

"I'm not really sure. She seems happy sometimes, but others . . ."

"Are you happy there?"

Barbara paused not quite knowing how to answer his question.

"I manage." She said honestly. "I help out at the library in the children's section so there is always something to do in the summer and then I had school, so I

guess so."

She really didn't want to talk about her home there, she was here now. Her _real _home and Dick was here, so there was no need to even think about her life

there.

"So what about you? I mean how are you doing?"

Dick seemed to be taken off guard as he pushed his food around on his plate.

"Me? Ah, I've been doing stuff for Bruce whenever he makes me . . . I've been . . ." Dick stopped.

What _had _he been doing that he could tell her?

"Oh, my word!" Barbara started while staring out the window towards the street.

"What is it?" Dick asked with concern.

He looked at the street looking for any sign of danger. But there were just people walking about.

Her eyes seemed to be glued to a family with a young boy.

"I totally forgot that you have a brother!"

Dick smiled at her outburst.

"Yeah, Tim. You'll like him." Dick said proudly. "He's a good kid. Doesn't try to walk down stairs on his hands or slide down the banister, so Alfred is happy."

Barbara smiled at the memory of the numerous times that she had witnessed Dick to just that.

"I was so happy when I heard." Barbara said giving a smile.

She couldn't believe it when she read that Bruce Wayne had taken in another child. She was happy though; she was hoping that Dick would once again have a

real friend. Not to say that he didn't have any, but maybe one that could understand his home life better—the way that she never could.

"You'll have to meet him." Dick said insisting. "We should . . . wait! Since everyone is forgetting everything today, I forgot that the Manor is hosting a party this

Saturday. You have to come Babs."

"I don't k . . ."

"Your dad is coming! You have to come. Say you will." Dick asked with a look she knew well on his face.

"Well, um, I guess." Barbara said not wanting to intrude, but enjoying the thought of being back there.

His face lit up.

"I can't wait now!" Dick said sounding excited. "Which is a weird feeling." He added.

Barbara had to laugh as she finished up her breakfast.

"Where to now, my lady?" Dick said with flourish.

Barbara found it hard to just pick one.

So they tried to go everywhere—with little success.

They walked around the city for a bit, then they ran through another park, then to their old school yard, and finally found themselves sitting on the steps of the

Gotham Public Library.

Barbara looked over at Dick and noticed a sleepy look cross his face.

"You should be getting home Dick. I should be too."

Dick's face immediately changed.

"You're tired. You probably have the same jetlag that I do." She pointed out.

"Oh, come on. I can . . ."

Barbara shook her head.

"Nu uh, Grayson. Come on." She said standing up and offering him her hand.

He reluctantly took it.

"All right, but I'm not happy about it." He said.

They slowly headed back in the direction where Dick had parked his car.

He took a slightly longer route to get back to her father's apartment. He knew that she noticed, but she didn't say anything about it.

"Well, here we are." He said sounding unhappy as he pulled up.

He listened as Barbara gave a gasp of glee as she got out of the car.

She stared up at the brick building as if it were a long lost relative.

Dick started to pull her duffel out.

"Dick!" She called out. "Don't hurt my books!" Turning around, she walked back to help him.

"I'm . . . trying . . ." He grunted as he pulled. "You are going to be lucky if this complex doesn't collapse once we get this thing inside."

Barbara rolled her eyes.

"Come on." She said while picking up a corner of the bag.

Dick was secretly thankful.

They managed to get it inside the building and outside of the right door.

Barbara fiddled with a ring of keys and placed one in the lock.

"Let's hope that he hasn't changed them." Barbara said with a grin.

The door opened.

Barbara tried hard to hold back any tears.

Her she was again—home. Her own room and everything. Quickly blinking away any tears, she turned back to Dick.

"Thank you so much." She told him before giving him another hug. She leaned her head against his shoulder. After a minute, she pulled back—well tried to pull

back.

"Uh, Dick? You have to let me go." Barbara said teasingly. She felt him shake his head.

"Dick come on." She insisted trying to escape his arms, but he held her tight. When had he gotten so strong?

"Richard Grayson." She said firmly knowing that it would do the trick.

"Fine." He said dejectedly like he was a little kid again.

She shook her head at him.

"I'll see you later." She said happily. How wonderful it was to say those words.

"You better." Dick said eyeing her.

Giving him a nod, she shut the door.

A second later a knock came.

Checking the peephole, Barbara opened it a backup.

"Yes?" She asked him questioningly.

"Just making sure that I wasn't dreaming." He said looking serious.

"You're not." She said with a smile. Too prove it, she took a step out and kissed him on the cheek. "You're such a dork." She said before closing the door.

He was tempted to live out in the hall.

* * *

"Master Richard? Is that you?"

Dick paused a moment by the door as Alfred's voice filtered down towards him.

"Yea, Alfred. It's me!" He called out as he shut the door. Hanging his bag over the handrail of the stairs, he walked down a few rooms and found Alfred in the

living room.

"Good to have you back. Are you hungry? How was your flight?" Alfred asked interestedly.

"Not hungry. Flight was fine." Dick reported.

"Not hungry? How is that possible? It's almost dinner time."

Dick pivoted on his heels to face his younger brother.

"Hey Tim. How was everything?"

Tim gave a shrug.

"The usual. Someone escaped, we put them back. Bank robbers, carjackers . . ."

"The usual." Dick said in agreement. "Good ole Gotham."

"It was weird not having you out there." Tim added.

Dick smiled. It was nice to be missed.

"Well it will be good to be back out there." He said genuinely.

"Maybe you should just rest I'm sure it has been a long day and the flight just added to it." Alfred said looking concerned.

Dick grinned.

"Well, actually I have been back in Gotham since this morning."

"What?" Tim asked in confusion.

Alfred cocked an eyebrow.

"What on earth have you been doing then?" He said after a moment.

"I ran into someone in the airport and hung out with them. I bet you would never guess who."

He watched as Tim's eyes narrowed in thought.

"We are quite put out. Who did you run into?" Alfred asked.

"You didn't even try!" Dick objected.

"Hey, I haven't guessed yet." Tim said.

"You wouldn't know anyway." Dick said, trying to break it to him gently.

"Someone whom Master Tim would not know?" Alfred said now trying to think hard.

"That's no fair." Tim said crossing his arms.

Dick started to grow impatient, but he tried to hold it in as Alfred thought.

Alfred shrewdly picked up on it.

"Just go ahead and tell us." Alfred said invitingly.

Dick found that he could not spit the words out fast enough.

"Barbara Gordon."

If it was possible to stun Alfred, Dick just did.

"Miss . . . Gordon? Here? In Gotham?" Alfred said in a mix of excitement and confusion.

"Wait, who?" Tim asked although no one was listening to him.

"I just bumped into her. It was like the best coincidence in the world!" Dick said now grinning like never before.

"So why in heaven's name didn't you bring her over here?" Alfred said sounding hurt.

Dick paused.

Why hadn't he? The thought didn't even occur to him.

"Who are we talking about!" Tim interjected since no one was paying attention to him.

"Barbara Gordon." Both Dick and Alfred said at once.

"And that is . . ?" He said looking at both of them.

"She's Commissioner's Gordon's daughter . . ." Alfred started.

"She lived here when she was younger . . ." Dick said.

"She was a charming little girl."

"She wa . . . is my best friend." Dick ended on.

Tim still looked confused.

"Then why have I never heard about her?"

Dick froze.

"What do you mean that you've never heard about her?" He asked severely.

Tim took a step back.

"Hey don't blame me." He said.

Dick walked over to the fireplace mantle and looked across the few photographs that had been placed there.

There was one of him and Barbara that had always sat there since they had met. Alfred had left them alone in the kitchen for one minute and they had

managed to get cake batter all over themselves.

He had sent them outside to spray off with the hose and once they were thoroughly drenched, he had stopped to snap a picture.

Dick bit his lip.

Where on earth was that picture anyway?

"You mean the redhead girl?" Tim broke in as he tried to remember. "I thought I saw a picture of her once, but you never seemed to want to talk about it."

Dick began to argue, but found that he couldn't deny it.

He _had _stopped talking about her. Not intentionally, but just because there was no one who understood what he was feeling. Not even Alfred.

"Dick? Are you in there?"

Dick zoned back in as Tim's hand waved in front of his face.

"Yeah, sorry." Dick said looking over his brother's head to stare out the window. "I guess I was more tired than I thought. I'm gonna head upstairs."

He walked slowly back towards the hall.

* * *

"Master Dick?" Alfred's soft voice broke through the silence as Dick sat on his bed. He looked concernedly at the young man as he sat on his bed.

"I didn't forget about her, did I Alfred?"

Alfred gave a soft smile at the honesty of the young man.

"Of course not." He said assuring. "You never have. You just learned to live . . ."

"Without her?" Dick said now horrified. "That sounds terrible."

"Not without her just . . ." Alfred fell silent as he tried to put it into words. "You just learned to live with the situation. You never talked with me about it except

on occasion. I could tell the days when that was making you sad. When someone did something or said something that made you think of her, you would go off

into a trance." He sighed. "You were young, and her absence hit you deeply. You just closed up. It took a while for you to come back out."

Dick pondered this as he laced his fingers together.

"The fact that you _didn't _talk about her was always the surest sign that you missed her."

Dick fingered the edge of his pillowcase.

"I feel badly saying this Alfred, but I think that I didn't bring her here, because I didn't want to share her." He said sheepishly.

"I forgive you completely." Alfred said fondly. "But we really should have her over."

"I invited her to the party Saturday." Dick explained.

Alfred's eyes lit up.

"That is excellent! I can't wait to see her. Has she changed much?'

The question caused a smile to cross Dick's lips.

"Well, it's hard to say. She still has red hair, still reads books, and still is obsessed with Batman and Robin."

Alfred gave a smile at that last one.

"She's uh . . ."

Dick tried to capture everything in a few words and was failing.

How could he even put it into words? His Babs had changed, but she hadn't. For that he was thankful.

Alfred, sensing that he wasn't going to get a complete answer at the moment excused himself from the room with a smile.

* * *

"Hello? Is someone in here?"

Barbara held her breath as she heard her father shut the door to the apartment carefully. She was trying to surprise him, not scare him so after a moment she

called out.

"Dad?"

"Barbara?" Her father said tentatively as he walked into the kitchen. He stood stock still at the sight of her.

"Welcome home Dad!" She said happily as she rushed over to great him with a hug.

Her father stood there frozen before returning the hug.

"I was wondering whose shoes were by the door. What are you doing here? Does your . . ."

"Yes, yes, it was all planned out." She assured him. "Well, mostly planned out. She doesn't know that I never actually called you. I wanted it to be a surprise

see?"

If her father was displeased at all about her secrecy he didn't show it.

"It's wonderful to have you back, Barb." He said giving her another hug. "Look how much you've grown since I last saw you." He added pulling her back so that

he could look at her.

"You saw me last spring, Dad. I haven't grown that much." She pointed out.

"I know, but every time I see you I can't believe how much time has passed." He said this with a sad sigh and a faraway look crossed his face.

"When did you get in?" He asked her. A smile was now on his face.

"This morning actually. I went to the police station, but you were gone . . . I guess that is what I get for planning a surprise." She said with a shrug.

"I'm sorry. That is not how you probably wanted to start your first day back." He said apologetically.

She waved him off.

"It actually worked out fine." She said grinning.

"Oh?" Her father said with interest. "How is that?"

"I ran into Dick at the airport." She said shuffling her feet.

"Did you? That was a lucky break." He said smiling at her.

"I know!" She said with a grin. "I couldn't believe it. I almost didn't recognize him."

"He's grown up just like you have." He said nudging her chin.

Barbara nodded.

Six years could make a lot of difference especially at the ages that they were at. It was so odd to be back now. Everything seemed the same, but it really

wasn't.

"Did you two do much?" Her father asked knowingly.

"A bit. He probably should have gone back home, but he pushed it aside in usual Dick fashion."

"He always would for you." He commented. "But I hoped that you two saved something for us to do."

"Oh, plenty Dad." Her eyes lit up. "There is so much to see and to re-see and . . . everything. But I really just want to sit down right now and have dinner with

you. Just like we used to."

Gordon stared at his daughter quietly realizing just how much she had grown up. As proud as he was, he was just a little sad, but that is the way it should be

he guessed.

"All right, Barb. You start and then I'll tell you about my day."

She heartily agreed.

* * *

"So your best friend was a girl?"

Nightwing's head turned around to glance at Robin.

"Huh?"

"Your best friend growing up was a girl." He repeated.

"I don't think I like the way you are saying that." Nighwing pointed out.

Robin shrugged.

"It's just a little odd. Maybe it's just because no one really ever told me. It's just hard to picture."

"And why is that?"

"I don't know. So what was she like?"

Robin's question gave him pause.

"She was the smartest person in school. Probably, one of the smartest people anywhere. She just had this amazing way of . . ."

'So how did you two meet?" Robin asked, getting bored of the answer.

"The Commissioner came over once to play chess with Bruce and he brought his daughter along. We just hit it off."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." Nightwing confirmed. "We basically did everything together if we could."

"So she left when her mother did?"

Nightwing set his jaw.

"Yes."

The answer was given a bit colder than he might have intended. Robin, sensing that he had touched a sore spot, went silent.

* * *

**Random End Notes: **I hope what I've done isn't too hard to follow. This story **won't** really focus on the superhero side of things. (Just so you know). Hopefully

you won't find it too angsty of a story, but that is kind of the nature of the beast. (Did I mention this is a 6 chapter story?) As normal with my stories that are a

bit . . . different, I am always nervous to know what you think.

{Dick/Babs because, HELLO! They are perfect for each other!}

All right you know the drill. Advice, and (gentle) [be nice please! :}] criticism, would be appreciated. Or a haiku if you feel like one.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **I should warn you that not all the chapters are going to be as big as the first one—that one was bigger than I normal let them get for one

chapter.

**Let's See Here . . . **It's freezing cold, but you left comments and made me happy!

**Broken Antler in Winter****: **No worries really, I'm a happily-ever-after kind of gal.

**soccernin19****: **Glad you said 'interesting' and not 'odd'. I can work with interesting. :)

**3 Nightwing 3: **Glad I brought you permanently to the Dick/Babs team. (Let's be honest, how can you _not_

ship them?) I love my multi-chapter fics but they can take me awhile to write so you will probably have to read more of my one shots in the future. (sorry)

Thanks for all the nice things you said. Hope to keep you happy with this one!

**SkyMyst: **I am like the queen of AU stories so I glad that you like!

**blacktarget: **Good. I hope to keep it that way. Thanks!

**Guest: **Thank you very much!

**Sue L****: **Forgive my ignorance of your language. Muito obrigado!

**jdcocoagirl****: **Thanks for reading again!

**Dibsshipper: **Thanks, I will!

**Batgirlfornightwing****: **Awesome! Love your name!

**Disclaimer: **Nothing has changed in the past week to make the chance of me owning Batman and its related characters any closer to a reality.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"Barb? Barb?"

Barbara felt someone shaking her shoulder. She immediately sat straight up in bed.

"Is something wrong?" She asked her father.

"No, I'm just heading off to work. Don't make a fuss!" He said quieting her. "You have to get used to the time difference."

Barbara pouted. She wanted to eat breakfast with her father before he left for work.

"You should have woken me up." She said chastising.

"It will be all right. I left you some coffee. How about on my lunch-break we can go out to eat and then you can come back to the station with me?"

She couldn't say no. She probably had spent more hours down at the station than anywhere else in Gotham with the exception of Wayne Manor—neither of

which made her mother too happy. She shook the thought from her head.

"Okay Dad. That sounds great."

"You remember where the park is right? That little café that sits on the corner? Do you want to eat there?" He offered.

"That sounds perfect." She agreed.

"It's a date then. Off I go."

She gave him a final hug and watched him leave her room. She hated to admit it, but she was still tired. Looking out the window however gave her the energy

to get up and get ready for her first full day in Gotham.

* * *

Barbara sat idly on a bench in the park as she waited for her father to get off work for lunch. She had shown up early just to be able to sit back and watch

Gotham go past. It was a perfect warm summer day and she was rewarded with plenty of to watch.

She sat back happily in the warm sun recounting the hours that she had spent here herself. She had first learned how to ride a bike down these paved paths.

Suddenly, she felt someone bump the bench that she was on. Turning her head around, she saw no one.

Refocusing on the group of kids playing Frisbee, she watched their antics until she felt something knock her feet. Leaning over, she spotted a young boy who

had squished himself under the bench.

"Are you okay?" She asked him.

"I'm fine. Now don't stare. I'm playing hide and go seek." He instructed her.

Barbara snapped her head back up with a smile.

"Sorry." She whispered.

She scanned the area looking for other children playing the game. She came up empty.

"Where are the other kids that you are playing with?"

"I'm not playing with other kids." The voice under the bench said. "I'm playing with my brother."

She smiled at his tone.

"What does he look like? I'll keep an eye out for you." She offered.

"He's uh, not too tall. He has black hair and is wearing a blue shirt."

Barbara took in the information and once again scanned the park.

"No sign of him yet." She reported.

"Ha. That means I'm winning."

Barbara smiled. Being a kid was the best.

Looking back around, she saw no one new enter the park area.

"Did you hide too far?" She asked him, now worried that his brother wouldn't find him.

"I'm not a little kid." The voice said irritatingly.

Barbara bit her lip and turned her head to glance behind her. No one on that side matched the description either.

She wanted to make sure that this kid got home, no matter how old he was.

Out of nowhere she saw Dick.

She stood up and waved, but he didn't notice her. He kept glancing around.

Barbara froze.

He was wearing a blue shirt. She turned back and crouched to look under the bench at the boy.

"Oh my word, you're Tim." She said with a whisper.

"What?" The kid asked trying to look at her from his position.

"You're Tim."

The boy stared at her wide eyed.

"How did you know my name?" He asked her sounding serious.

"I . . ."

"Barbara!"

She stood back up and turned around as Dick got close.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked her with a smile.

"Waiting for my dad." She explained.

"Oh, I'm . . ." Dick trailed off as he seemed to glance closely at her.

Barbara tried to look casual, but Dick gave her a wink and carefully walked around the backside of the bench.

"Got you!" He announced giving the boy a push.

Tim popped out from under the bench in a hurry.

"No fair. You can't have help." The young boy said severely.

"I didn't." Dick argued.

"And you can't tell random girls my name."

At the absurdity of this statement, Dick just started laughing.

Tim did not look amused.

Barbara leaned a bit over to stare at the boy.

"Hi, there. I'm Barbara Gordon." She said.

"Timothy Drake." The boy said looking at her carefully.

"It's so nice to meet you!" Barbara said happily. The boy looked unconvinced. He turned to stare at Dick.

"So are you and your dad supposed to spend the day together?" Dick asked, intentionally not looking at his brother.

Barbara nodded.

"We are supposed to meet for lunch and then we are going to head back to the station. It's going to be a great day."

"Do you mind if we wait with you then?" Dick asked. He didn't want to pass up any time that he could have with her. Her face lit up.

"Sure."

Dick plopped back down on the bench next to her. Tim, after staring at them both, continued to sit on the grass.

"So Tim, tell me about yourself. What do you like to do?"

Tim paused at her question.

"Ah, normal kid stuff I guess." He settled on.

"Do you go to Gotham Academy? How do you like it?"

"It's fine." He said with a shrug.

"Is study hall still that awful green color?"

"Yeah."

Barbara smiled. Whoever had chosen that color had not been thinking. Kids were more likely to feel nauseous in that room than to feel like studying.

"Do you have any hobbies?" She inquired.

Tim shot Dick a look. Why was this becoming the Spanish Inquisition?

"I like playing with computers." He said hoping to satisfy her.

"That sounds smart." Barbara said with a smile. "How is . . ."

"Maybe you should ask Dick a question." Tim said, trying not to sound testy.

Barbara waved her hand.

"Eh, I already know everything about Dick." She said dismissive grin.

Dick pretended to be offended.

"No you don't." He argued.

"Sure I do."

Dick narrowed his eyes.

"You have broken your right arm twice, refuse to eat brown M&Ms, and can fit twelve grapes in your mouth."

"Thirteen. I tried last week." He said shot back.

Barbara rolled her eyes.

"Why won't you eat brown M&Ms?" Tim asked curiously. He had never heard this before.

"They just don't taste as good as the ones with color."

"They do not!" Barbara exclaimed. She could not believe that he had not given this up—but in a strange way she loved that he hadn't.

"That's just weird." Tim decided.

"That's just Dick." Barbara informed him.

They both shook their heads at him.

"At least I wore socks that matched to school."

"That's not fair." Barbara told Dick. "I don't have an Alfred to double check my appearance. Besides you were the only person who noticed."

Dick and Barbara kept talking about all sorts of odd topic as Tim started beheading weeds.

"We should probably get going." Tim said abruptly standing up.

Dick looked at him oddly and turned back to Barbara.

"Ah, yeah. We should. We will see you later, okay Babs?"

"You really let him call you that?" Tim asked not understanding.

Barbara gave a huge smile.

"Don't ask me when it started, but it can't be helped now." She said looking at Dick who returned her smile.

With a few more parting words, the boys walked off with Tim in the lead.

"What was that about?" Dick asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

"You don't need to hound her every free second." Tim said as he kept walking. Dick stopped short.

"I am not." He objected.

"Ah, yeah you are. She's kind of nosy."

Dick rolled his eyes.

"She was just interested in you. She likes to know all the facts, like her dad."

Tim looked unsure.

"Come on I get to hide again."

"You do not. I found you." Dick said ignoring the change of topic.

"You cheated."

"Let's call it a draw and then you can hide again." Dick settled on.

Tim conceded.

* * *

The next day, Dick popped his head out of various rooms until he found Tim.

"Hey Tim. I'm supposed to meet Barbara at the park. Do you want to come?"

A look of surprise crossed his brother's face.

"Do you want me to?"

"Sure." Dick said with a shrug. He didn't understand why Tim was being so weird about this.

They drove to the park, and walked down the well-worn path to the pre-destined meeting place.

Barbara was already sitting there, book in hand.

"Hey, you two!" She greeted them as she shut her book.

"Hey Babs." Dick said. He could still not believe that she was here.

Tim gave a smile and a nod.

"I brought something for you." Dick said teasing.

"Oh, yeah?" Barbara sat up straighter as she wondered what it was.

Dick pulled a notebook from out behind his back and laid it in front of her on the table. Barbara took in a swift breath.

"It's not . . ." She trailed off as her fingers brushed the tattered cover. She looked up at him and he gave her a nod to open it.

Carefully turning a few pages, she came to a list that had a heading of simply 'Summer Fun List'. The writing was faint and some words were misspelled, but

their list was still there.

She bit her lip as she read down the list.

"What is it?" Tim's voice broke in. He looked between Dick and Barbara waiting for one of them to answer.

After a moment, Barbara spoke.

"This is a list that Dick and I made one school year." Barbara said. She slid the notebook down as Tim took a step forward and stared at the list.

"Eat every flavor at Spooner's Ice Cream Parlor." He read off.

"Okay, that one was a little optimistic. There were a lot of flavors." Dick said sitting across from both of them.

"Were?" Barbara said catching his use of verb.

Dick grimaced.

"Yeah, it's not around anymore. There are other ice cream places in the area." He explained trying to cheer her up.

"Do they have double bubble?" Barbara asked fearing the answer. Dick's face said everything.

She gave a sigh.

"Was that a good flavor?" Tim spoke up curiously.

"It was blue ice cream." Barbara explained. "It had pieces of pink bubble gum. It was the best. You could eat ice cream while chewing gum."

Dick nodded in agreement.

Tim scanned down there list again.

"Stay out in the park past sunset."

"Alfred would never let us." Dick said with a soft smile. "That was going to be our big summer project. Finding a way to stay out late enough to watch the stars

come out."

"Wow. You two sound like rebels." Tim said clearly not impressed. Despite this, Dick and Barbara exchanged a grin. "Can I go walk around?" He asked.

"Don't go too far." Dick instructed in a brother-like tone.

"I'm not a kid." Tim said standing up.

"Just be careful. Alfred wouldn't forgive me if . . ."

"I'll be fine." Tim said over his shoulder.

Shaking his head, Dick sat back down and stared at Barbara. She slid the list over to her side and looked at it.

"Did you do any of them?" She asked while not looking at him.

"Of course not." Dick said honestly.

His answer made her happy, and a bit sad. She was glad that he didn't, but she wished that he would have done _something. _

"I was planning on waiting for you." He said softly. "Guess it took longer than I thought." His finger ran across the grain of the wood bench.

"Well, then we will just have to try our best now." Barbara said chasing away the gloom of the moment.

* * *

"Master Timothy, are you doing okay? You seem to be off." Alfred commented as the boy sat in the living room playing on his phone.

"I do?" Tim asked sounding surprised.

Alfred nodded.

Tim sighed.

"Alfred, does Dick really not eat brown M&Ms?"

Alfred smiled.

"My, I haven't thought about that for a long time. Did Miss Gordon bring that up?"

Tim nodded.

He wasn't sure why, but the fact that she knew almost more about Dick then he did . . . bugged him.

"They were talking about all sorts of well, goofy sounding stuff."

"They always were rambunctious. There was not anything that they weren't willing to try." Alfred recalled fondly.

Tim crossed his arms.

* * *

"Master Dick would you stop pacing?" Alfred begged as Dick made his twelfth trip around the room.

"I can't help it Alfred; I'm just excited." Dick said in a way of an excuse.

He couldn't remember the last time that he had actually wanted a party to happen. He looked over at Alfred who was meticulously straightening

everything—even though everything was already straightened.

"I'm rather excited myself." Alfred admitted to him. "It seems like . . ." Alfred's eyes drifted towards the clock.

"I'm gonna wait by the door." Dick said walking quickly out of the room as soon as he thought up the idea.

Alfred shook his head as he watched the young master leave.

"Everyone seems to be in a remarkably good mood." Bruce commented as he passed Dick.

"Yes, well, I like to believe that Master Dick and I are always in a good mood." Alfred said with a smile.

"Well if I would have known that importing Barbara Gordon in from . . ."

"San Francisco." Alfred inserted in the gap.

"Yes, I would have done it sometime." Bruce finished.

"I wish you would have." Alfred said, pausing from straightening.

"I won't deny that I thought about it once or twice, but the cost outweighed the benefits."

Alfred raised an eyebrow.

Bruce noticed.

"I mean, making Dick happy by bringing her here, wasn't worth the cost of making him sad when she left." He explained.

Alfred gave a tentative glance to the open door.

"I won't deny that I am worried about that. I've tried not to mention anything about it, you know how Master Dick is."

* * *

"Hey Dick, what are you doing here?" Tim asked walking down the hall towards the front door.

"Waiting for Babs." He answered with a smile. He was leaned up against the wall tapping his fingers against the paneling.

Tim looked at the door and then back to his older brother.

"We _are _going to play a game tonight, right?"

Dick nodded.

"We always play a game. We have to do something to pass the time."

Tim smiled at the assurance of the promise. The weather was perfect to play something outside, which was the best place to play since Alfred could not glare

at you for goofing off in public.

"So can we do something now?" Tim said as Dick glanced back out the window. Dick seemed reluctant to leave his position.

"Well, I guess." He answered after a moment.

* * *

Barbara smiled at her father as they walked up to the front door of Wayne Manor.

"Seems like yesterday, huh?" He asked her.

Barbara nodded thoughtfully.

The last party she went to was in the late winter.

When she found out that she and her mother were leaving, she realized that it had been her last one. Like every other emotion that day—the thought had

been terrible.

Last this, last that—she hated that everything had to be thought of in those terms.

"Barb, you okay?"

"Just spacing out." Barbara explained quickly as they reached the door.

"Do you what to ring the doorbell?"

Barbara smiled.

She had always loved to ring the doorbell. Her father usually had to lift her up so that she could reach it. Walking over, she found that she didn't need any help

to ring it. The bell gave out the familiar old chime that she suddenly remembered perfectly and realized that she missed terribly.

A familiar face answered the door. She had missed that face too.

"Miss Gordon . . ." Alfred said tenderly.

She engulfed him into a hug before he could get another word out. How on earth did she bear leaving this place all those years ago?

Gordon gave Alfred a smile and a nod as he watched.

"Look how tall you are now, and such a lady." Alfred commented looking her over. "I do say, where does all this time go Commissioner?"

Gordon shrugged.

"I have no idea. It doesn't feel like it is going that fast, does it?" He asked.

"It never does." Alfred agreed. "But little by little, it slips by. I'm sorry come in, come in!" Alfred said ushering them inside.

It was just as Barbara remembered. Everything in Wayne Manor was huge and even the fact that she was taller now didn't change any of it.

The doorbell rang again and Alfred paused mid-step.

"Well, I trust that both of you can find your way. I will catch up with you later." He added as he headed back to get the door.

Barbara watched him go.

"You ready?" Her father asked her.

"It will weird since I probably won't know too many people anymore." She mentioned as she ran a hand down her dress. It was going to be an odd feeling. She

knew this place better than most and yet everyone else would think that she was the new one there.

"Been a long time, huh?" Her father asked watching her.

"It's nice to be back." She said, although it was really an understatement.

She was right. There was no one there that she really recognized. A few faces here and there. Some people even remembered her which was a nice discovery.

They stopped by long enough to say hello to Bruce. It brought back memories of the first time that she had met Mr. Wayne. Too be honest, she had always

been a bit nervous around him. Not because he wasn't friendly, but there was always something about him that made her . . . feel like she was missing

something.

Mr. Wayne however, was his usual charming self as he inquired about her life in San Francisco.

She explained a few things and gave a brief description of the part of town that she lived in. After that, her father picked up the conversation and Barbara let

her mind drift as she looked around the room.

She had not seen Dick anywhere, and was hoping that he would pop up soon. She felt like she was more at home when he was around.

"He should be in the backyard with Tim."

Barbara snapped her head back around at Mr. Wayne's words.

"Oh, thanks." She said after she registered what he had just said.

Maybe that was it, he was always seemed very perceptive. His eyes seemed to catch everything, which was odd she thought for a philanthropist, playboy . . .

whatever else you wanted to through into the mix.

She felt her father give her a nudge.

"Go ahead," He told her. "But don't be out too long. I still want to spend time with you too."

Barbara gave a smile and excused herself.

She started off through the ballroom at a rather quick pace, but then caught herself and slowed down.

She wasn't a kid anymore. She couldn't run through Wayne Manor—at least not in public.

* * *

**Random End Notes: **I seriously had a friend who thought that she could taste the difference in the M&M colors. I thought it would be a funny quirk to give Dick.

Please leave encouragement, advice, or whatever you feel like—you know I love to hear (read) it! I'm not sure if I entirely like how I wrote Tim, so if you have

any thoughts on that let me know.

{Dick/Babs because, HELLO! They are perfect for each other!}

Alright you know the drill. Advice, and (gentle) [be nice please! :}] criticism, would be appreciated. Or a haiku if you feel like one.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes: **Greetings from the frozen tundra—or at least that is how it felt this morning.

**Let's See Here:**

**Broken Antler in Winter: **That's really true, but that's kind of the point I guess. :)

**Guest: **Thank you.

**soccernin19: **That makes me really happy to know! Glad you are enjoying it.

**Godgirl4ever: **I think I kind of stink at writing jealousy. I didn't want Tim to come off as immature, but then again maybe some jealousy is immaturity. There is a line there somewhere . . .

**Jdcocoagirl: **I've never put Tim in this situation before so it was kind of interesting to write the situation. Thanks for reading!

**Sue L:** Não todos nós. :)

**Batgirlfornightwing****: **I'm sorry and I totally agree!

**Disclaimer: **I still am hundreds of thousands of thousands of dollars short . . .

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Alright." Dick declared. "Tie breaker round." Tim nodded seriously.

So far they were tied with each of them winning once, and it was Tim's turn to hide.

Something caught Dick's eye.

"Babs!" He called out, running towards her to meet her at the bottom of the balcony stairs.

"Hey, Dick." She said with a nod and a smile.

"Tim and I were about to start another game. It's his turn to hide. Do you want to play?" He feared that he sounded childish. It sounded childish didn't it? Why

did he think to ask her? She was going to think that . . .

"I'd love too!" Barbara said to his relief.

"We aren't play the normal way."

Dick turned around to see Tim leaned up again a statue that sat in the yard. Giving his brother a look, he turned back to Barbara.

"You mean that you play seek and hide?" Barbara asked giving the boy a knowing grin.

Tim blinked with surprise.

"How do you know about it?"

"You might say that I invented it." Barbara told him proudly with her hands on her hips.

Dick enjoyed the look of amazement that crossed his younger brother's face. Dick himself was pleased that she had remembered the game that she had

invented one evening there.

"I don't really know what made me think of it, but I decided that I wanted to change things around a bit. So one person would go hide and the other person

would try to find them, of course, but instead if you find the person before they spot you, you call out their location and then run and hide yourself and the

hider become the seeker."

Barbara recited off the rules as if she had just played it yesterday.

"Looking back, I guess it sounds silly, but Dick was willing to give it a try and it worked out." Barbara added with a shrug.

"And it's Tim's turn to hide, so you better get a move on it." Dick instructed.

"Fine." Tim said, looking as if he was up to the challenge and dashed off.

"And don't hide under a bench!" Barbara called out teasingly. "How long do we give him?" She asked Dick.

"It won't take him long." Dick said with a shrug. "So however long is fine."

Barbara paced around as if she couldn't wait to get started as Dick rocked on his heels.

"Ready?" He asked after a few more seconds had past.

"Let's go." Barbara replied.

She took the left path and Dick took the right path.

After several minutes, Barbara began to remember just how many places that there was to hide in the garden at Wayne Manor. She tried to remember all the

places that she had hidden and check there but she had no luck.

Hearing a noise, she quickly ducked behind a shrub.

The person hiding could change places if he/she wanted, but it was dangerous. You might be spotted easier.

The noise got quieter.

She peaked out to see if she could spot Tim. Instead, she bumped into Dick.

Both of them started.

"Aw, Babs . . ." Dick said as he laughed.

"Scared me . . ." She said trying to catch her breath. "Any sign of him?"

"Nope. Not one bit."

"He's pretty good." Barbara said. "But that might just be because I'm out of practice."

"What can I say? He was taught by the best." Dick said proudly.

"I don't understand how. I wasn't here." She said haughtily.

"Oh, whatever." Dick said rolling his eyes.

"Hey I _created _the game so it is only reasonable that should be the best at it."

Dick conceded with a shrug.

"He has got to be around her somewhere." Barbara added thoughtfully.

The garden wasn't extremely well lit. Faint light shown from the house and softly out of the landscaping lights along the path.

There were plenty of shadows to hide in if need be.

"I love this game. I've missed playing it."

She said it softly, more to herself then to anyone.

"Yeah?" Dick asked her questioningly.

She turned nodding to him and noted a strange expression on his face.

"I've missed you." He said seriously.

Barbara felt her heart speed up.

"Really?"

Dick looked hurt.

"Of course I have!" He insisted. How could she doubt it?

"Well, it's just . . ." Barbara looked at the ground. "You never said you did."

"What do you mean?" He didn't understand.

"I mean, in the three letters we wrote before we both got lazy and stopped . . . you never said that you missed me." This had always bugged her, but she had

always tried not to dwell on it too much.

"I told you that I was going to be terrible at writing." He told her honestly. "And the reason I never told you that I missed you was because I didn't want you to

be sad. Alfred said that I shouldn't make you sad when you were trying to adjust."

Barbara couldn't believe it.

"Really? Because that is why I never told you that I missed you. I didn't want you to be sad either."

"Aw, Babs." Dick began. "Nothing would have stopped me from being sad about losing you."

Fighting back tears, she threw her arms around him.

He grinned as he caught her in his arms.

"You have no idea, how much I've missed you Dick." Barbara said. "You don't know how often I walked around school and turned a corner hoping that you

would be there. When I was having a bad day, everyone was always nice to me, but no one knew that the best thing that they could do would be to say

something stupid to make me laugh."

"I wish you could have been here every day of my life." He told her. "After you left, nothing seemed as fun. There was no one to goof off with during parties,

and no one to lecture me about being late to school."

Barbara smiled into his shoulder.

He _was _always late to school and he always had some dramatic reason why he was.

"I wish you could have been there when I won the science fair; I couldn't believe it."

"I wish you could have been there when the fire alarm at school kept going off and we all had to go outside. It could have been the best school day ever if you

would have been there." He said with a small smile.

Barbara pulled away gently so that she could push back her hair to keep it in order.

Despite all the sad memories floating through her head, she was able to look up at him and give him a smile.

Before she could get another word out, Dick's lips were against hers.

Just as quickly, he pulled back looking worried.

"I'm sorry Babs, I didn't even ask if you had a . . ."

She shook her head as she pulled his face down to return his kiss.

They pulled back slowly, both smiling.

"Come on." Dick said taking her hand. "We don't want him to think that he's winning."

"There is no way that is escaping both of us." Barbara agreed with her eyes shining.

As soon as they walked a bit further, Barbara tugged Dick's sleeve.

Silently, she pointed out towards the lawn.

A shadow laid on the ground in an oddly placed spot.

"Well, it's either a dead body or it's Tim." Dick whispered.

"Do you want to?" She mouthed at him.

"Go ahead." He whispered back.

Barbara took a deep breath and tried not to laugh.

"TIM IS ON THE LAWN!" She shouted.

The shadow moved and Tim's form became clear.

"Come on!" Dick said grabbing her hand.

They rushed back down some paths, both trying hard not to laugh.

Dick came to a halt and pulled her off in another direction.

"This way."

Barbara followed him till they reached a gardener's shed that sat on the corner of the garden.

Dick pulled open the door as quietly as possible and they both went in.

Leaving the door a crack open, they both peaked out for any sign of Tim.

"Remember when we both got locked in here?" Barbara asked him as she tried to catch her breath.

"It was that one summer day and we were looking for another hose, and I shut the door. Took Alfred, Bruce, and your dad forever to find us." He said recalling

the memory.

"It got really hot in here and we swore that we would never play out in the sun again."

"Which lasted around three hours." Dick said with a short laugh. "Once we had had something to drink."

Nothing stopped them from playing outside when the weather was nice.

"So . . ." Dick asked hesitantly. "What is wrong with all the guys in San Francisco? Are they blind?"

"What?" Barbara asked, not catching his meaning at first. "Oh, uh . . . I guess that I was just too picky. I suppose that I already had a picture of my ideal guy

and I couldn't find him there."

"Oh." Dick said shortly. Now he was worried.

"Well, maybe I was being unrealistic." Barbara admitted as she looked through the crack. "Some of my specifications might be silly."

Dick was silent.

"You know, stuff like having black hair and blue eyes." She said fighting a smile. "Who have a tendency to be overly lighthearted and scares me to death by

randomly jumping off swings."

Dick crushed her into a hug.

"Really Babs?" He questioned her.

"Do you think that it is possible to fall in love with someone by just the memories of them?" She asked seriously.

"I guess so." He said after a moment. "As long as what you think that you love about them is still true."

"See? And that is what I feared. That once we were apart, you would change and you wouldn't be . . . you anymore."

"I was afraid that you wouldn't find me funny anymore; that you wouldn't like that I really hadn't changed." He admitted.

"No, I was glad that you weren't. I mean, I doubt that we are _exactly_ the way we were but I don't think that we are so far away from who we used to be." She

said looking at him. "Even the day I left here for the last time, I think I was afraid of that. I'm surprised I was mature enough to think about something like that,

but I know that I did."

"I would say that I was afraid that you were going to be smarter than me, but I think that we can both agree that that happened a long time ago." Dick told

her with a smile.

Barbara shook her head with a grin.

"The whole world felt like it was changing that day. My mind was a mess." He said softly.

They both went silent.

Neither of them tried to remember that day, but neither of them could forget it. It was the last memory that either of them had of each other.

"Even that day couldn't go right. It was like the world hated us." Barbara said solemnly.

* * *

*Flashback*

* * *

Barbara rushed to the door of Wayne Manor and reached up to ring the doorbell. She rung it twice although she knew that only once was enough to bring

Alfred, but she hoped that twice would bring him faster.

She tried to wipe any tears off her face. She had composed herself a few times on the way over, but both times she had lost it and she knew her face must

look terrible.

The huge door opened.

"Miss Gordon? This is a surprise we weren't expecting you till . . ." Alfred paused noting her face. "What is wrong?" He asked leaning over to be at her height.

"You mean besides everything?" Barbara spat out rather harshly. She didn't mean to take it out on Alfred, but she was still so furious with her mother, she was

seconds away from either crying again or yelling.

Alfred looked at her sympathetically.

"It will be hard, my dear." He told her honestly. "But you are a very sensible, strong, young girl and I am certain that you will do the best that you can." He

hoped that his words would help. "But for tomorrow, try to be happy and play. Master Dick has a whole host of things for the two of you to do and I am sure

that . . ."

Barbara shook her head.

"I'm not coming over tomorrow." She said starting to cry again.

Alfred could not help looking surprised.

"But you are supposed to spend . . ."

"The whole day here." Barbara said getting angry again. "But my mom is already to go and she's making us leave tomorrow morning."

Alfred hugged the short figure as she leaned against him.

"It will be all right my dear." He told her. "How much time do you have tonight?"

Looking out the window, the sun was getting ready to set soon and Barbara usually had to be home by sundown.

"My mom dropped me off and my dad is supposed to grab me after he gets off work." Barbara said trying to stop crying.

Alfred glanced at the clock. That wasn't much time.

"Well, then come with me. I was just making myself a pot of tea and there should be enough for two." He leading her to the front room.

"You just wait here and I will fetch Master Dick."

"He's not here?" Barbara asked her eyes growing wide.

Alfred bit his lip. She was an amazingly perceptive child.

"He and Master Bruce went out, but I promise you that he will be back within a half hour." Alfred promised as he poured her a cup of tea. "If you will just wait

here." He said handing her the cup.

As soon as he had shut the door, Alfred broke on of his cardinal rules—he ran through Wayne Manor.

Flying down to the batcave as fast as his legs could carry him, his hands flew over the keys on one of the massive computers until he had pulled up the right

com link.

"Batcave to Master Dick, come in please." He said quickly over the line.

"You're supposed to say Robin." Dick voice reminded him.

"I am not in the mood for regulation at the moment." The tone of Alfred's voice got Dick's attention.

"Is something up?" He asked.

"You are needed back here immediately."

"Ah, a little busy here Alfred."

"Serious busy or just normal busy?"

"Normal busy I guess." Robin decided.

"Then get back here. Miss Gordon is here." Alfred ordered.

"Babs? It's an odd time to visit."

Alfred sighed and tried to think of a gentle way to break it to the boy.

"She came because she is unable to come over tomorrow. Her mother has changed their plans."

"What? She is supposed to spend the whole day over here tomorrow! When is she going to come over then?" Robin's upset voice came through the speakers

and bounced off the walls of the cave.

"She isn't." Alfred said softly. "She is leaving tomorrow morning."

"She can't leave tomorrow!" Robin argued. "She is supposed to spend the whole day here!"

"Yes, I know, I'm sorry."

"I don't know if I can come back." Robin said in distress. "He might not . . ."

"Just come back. If he wants to yell at someone, he can yell at me. But hurry, she can't stay for too long."

"You have got to be kidding me. Why does the world hate me all of a sudden?" He moaned.

"Just hurry." Alfred encouraged.

It didn't take Dick too long, although it seemed like hours to Alfred. He tried to keep Barbara talking so that she didn't sit there in worried silence.

Hearing the door to the garage slam shut, Alfred stood up.

"One moment." He told her.

Shutting the door to the front room, Alfred saw Dick racing down the hall.

"I slammed the garage door so that she would think . . ." He tried to explain in between gaps for air.

"I forgive you completely." Alfred replied, surprised that the boy had the wherewithal to stage something like that to cover where he had been.

Dick turned his attention to the closed door with dread.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this Alfred." Dick said as his voice cracked.

"I know. I am so very sorry." The butler said softly, knowing that such words were useless. "Come on now, I'll go in with you. I had best bid her farewell too."

Dick placed his hand on the doorknob and squeezed his eyes shut as he opened it up.

"Dick?" Barbara questioned as her disheveled looking best friend entered the room.

"Hey, Babs." He said softly.

They stared at each other for a moment. Both dreading what needed to happen.

Alfred was the first to say something.

"Well, Miss Gordon, I shall bid you a fond farewell." He said going to her. Barbara engulfed him in a hug as she tried not to cry.

"You must really try to send us a picture of that golden bridge that everyone is always so excited about. Can you believe that I've never been there?" He told

her.

"You can visit anytime now." Barbara said invitingly. "And I will send you one, I promise."

Alfred gave her a nod and gave her a long final glance as if he was trying to remember her exactly as she was for future reference.

He turned around and quietly shut the door as he left.

Barbara felt her eyes fill up with tears. She turned slightly to see Dick staring down at the carpet. His hands were shoved into his pockets but she could tell

that his fists were balled up.

She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"I just don't understand." He whispered softly as he lowered his head against her shoulder.

She couldn't either. Why did all of this have to happen?

He tried to think of something to say—anything, but nothing was coming.

Really? This was all the time he had left with her?

"You have to try and write me okay?" She told him.

"I probably won't be any good at it." He mumbled.

"I probably won't be either, but we have to try." She said now looking at him.

Dick shrugged since he found that he couldn't talk due to the lump in his throat.

The doorbell ominously rang.

They both stared at each other.

* * *

Alfred went slowly to the door. Upon recognition, he opened the door and let the Commissioner in.

"Good evening Commissioner." He greeted him as usual.

"Alfred." Commissioner responded heavily. "I would love to say that I just stopped here for a game of chess, but unfortunately I can't."

Alfred nodded understandingly.

"I supposed that I can convince you to have a cup of tea?" Alfred suggested. He was hoping to be able to buy Dick and Barbara more time.

"Unfortunately not Alfred, but thanks anyway." The Commissioner answered looking grave.

Both men stood there silently.

"I'm sorry that I have to be the one who does the deed, but I do need to collect her." The Commissioner said honestly.

"One moment." Alfred said and he slowly made the trek back to the room that he had just left.

A noise from one of the inner rooms caught his attention and he arrived just in time to see Bruce appear.

"What on earth is going on?" He asked furiously.

"Please lower your voice sir." Alfred instructed. "The Gordons are here."

The stern look on Bruce's face even out a little.

"I told him to come home and if you want to be mad you are more than welcome to be angry at me."

Bruce waved him off.

"So what is going on?"

"Miss Gordon came over because she will not be able to spend any time here tomorrow. Her mother is having them fly out tomorrow morning."

"But she was . . ."

"Supposed to spend the day here, yes sir." Alfred said finishing his sentence.

"Confound that women." Bruce muttered as he left the room. "What does she think that she's doing?"

"I believe that she thinks that she is trying to give her daughter a better life." Alfred began as he followed him. "I do not begrudge any parent who wants the

best for their child and I think that we can both agree that Gotham is not exactly ideal." He paused as Bruce stopped walking in the hall. "I think if Master Dick

was not involved I would be able to think about this more rationally, but since he is, I cannot."

Alfred watched Bruce mull this over in his head. They both knew that Barbara was responsible for helping Dick out of his shell after his parents died, and both

of them feared what was going to happen when she left. He also knew that Bruce was frustrated by the whole situation.

Dick was about to be hurt and there was no stopping it.

"Is he here now?"

"The Commissioner?" Alfred asked. "Yes, he is here to pick her up. I was about to go and get her."

"I don't suppose that we can delay him at all." Bruce suggested.

"I think not." Alfred said firmly. "We must keep in mind that these are his last hours with her as well."

Bruce nodded. His face was set.

"Fine, you get her while I go talk to him."

"Very well, just don't say anything rash." Alfred warned.

He knew Master Bruce wouldn't, but there were times when he was very close to saying something. Causing Dick pain was one way you could get Batman to

break through Bruce Wayne's exterior.

* * *

A soft rap came to the door.

Barbara closed her eyes in dread. Opening her eyes back up, Dick was once again looking at the ground.

"I'll be there in a moment." Barbara called out.

"Very well." Alfred said through the door.

Barbara clasped Dick's hands tighter.

"Hey." She said trying to get his attention.

Dick's glossy blue eyes met hers slowly.

"I . . . I just . . ." She trailed on. She really wanted to tell him how much she liked him, but she lost her nerve.

"I supposed that I should say goodb . . ."

"Don't say it!" Barbara said suddenly. Dick looked startled. "Don't say it." She repeated. "Just say whatever it is that you would say if everything was fine as it

always was."

Dick blinked.

"I guess I would say, see you later." He said glumly. Why did it matter what he said if he wasn't going to see her again?

"You have to say it with a smile though." She ordered gently. "I can't bear to leave you with a frown on your face. It's not like you."

Dick tried to summon up a smile. It wasn't a very good one.

"See you later Babs."

"See you later Dick." She repeated. Her hands slowly slipped out of his and she turned around before he could see her tears start to fall again.

If it was possible to feel your heart break, Dick did as soon as the door went shut behind her.

After a few moments he heard the front door open and close.

He wandered over to the window and watched the car drive away.

He stood there looking out blankly. How had everything gone so wrong so fast? It had seemed like they were just planning everything they were going to do

over the summer, but now summer was already ruined.

Dick felt a pair of hands come down on his shoulders and give a squeeze. He looked up and saw Bruce.

"Come on now." Bruce said softly as he glanced out the window.

Dick followed numbly.

* * *

*End Flashback*

* * *

Dick blinked a few times as he refocused his eyes in the dark shed.

"I can't believe that all that time has really gone by." He heard Barbara say softly. "For some reason when I'm back here, I feel like I'm just picking up where I

left off."

Dick was about to respond when he heard Tim's voice.

"Dick? Barbara? Are you guys still out here? You can't just stop playing the game!" He called out sounding frustrated.

"What do you want to do?" Dick asked her.

Barbara took her hands out of his and reached over to grab a rake. Picking it up, she promptly let it fall.

The sudden noise caused Tim to slowly open the door.

"Dick . . ?" He called out sticking his head tentatively in the shed.

Dick knew that he shouldn't, but he could not help jumping out and saying . . .

"Boo!"

Tim really didn't scream, but it really wasn't just a yell either.

"Dick! You . . .! You are so dead!" Tim called out as Dick doubled over laughing.

Barbara walked out behind him shaking her head. A look of amusement was on her face.

Tim's eyes narrowed at the sight of her.

"Master Tim! Miss Gordon? Master Dick? It's time to come back inside please." Alfred's voice carried over the yard and down to where they were.

"All right, the game is called due to Alfred's orders." Dick announced grandly.

"Aww." Barbara said with a sigh.

"It's okay with me." Tim said resignedly.

"Come on then everyone." Dick encouraged. He offered his hand to Barbara who was happy to take it.

The gesture did not go unnoticed by Tim who eyed them with a frown. He turned around and started walking back in the direction of the house.

Barbara's eyes wandered towards the sky.

"Not many stars out tonight." Tim mentioned as he turned around and saw her.

Dick spoke before she could.

"That's not what she's looking for." He said with a knowing grin.

"Looking for?" Tim said slowly. He looked between the both of them, getting a little tired of feeling left out.

Dick nudged Barbara so as to get her to explain.

"The batlight." She said simply.

"The batlight." Tim repeated like she was nuts.

Barbara sighed.

"Why is nobody else fascinated by this? What is wrong with you two?" She said exasperatedly.

Tim and Dick exchanged a look.

"Master Dick?" Alfred's voice called out as they got close to the door.

"Well, I guess I'll run ahead." Dick said as he picked up the pace.

Barbara smiled over at Tim who was still looking at her like she was from another planet.

"Really? The batlight?" He questioned.

Barbara rolled her eyes. No one quite understood this interest of hers.

"Yes. Oh, come on, it's interesting. Admit it."

Tim shuffled his feet and scrunched up his face.

"Well . . . it's kind of cool." He admitted.

Barbara's face displayed a look of victory.

"That's the spirit!" She said happily.

Tim gave her a funny look as he mounted the stairs

Barbara gave one last glance up at the sky. She _had _to see it at least once while she was here.

* * *

"Alright, so start explaining."

Dick looked up suddenly to see Tim standing in the doorway of his room. The party was over and the guys were getting ready to start patrol.

"About what?" He asked, although he had an idea of the question.

"What is up with her interest with Batman?" Tim asked plopping down on his brother's bed with a bounce.

Dick had to smile as he finished hanging his suit up in the closet.

"Well, you see . . ." He started coming to sit down next to his brother. "Once when she was still living here, Robin saved her life."

Tim's eyes widened.

"I di . . . I mean you did? This gets confusing at times." Tim admitted.

Dick laughed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Well, anyway . . . I saved her and . . ."

"Does she know it was you?"

Dick started.

"Of course not. She has no idea." He expounded.

"Were you two friends at the time?" Tim asked.

Dick nodded.

"We had been for a few months by that time." He said simply. "So after that she kind of became . . . obsessed with Batman and Robin. It always kind of amused

me, but it also made me a little worried."

"Why is that?"

Dick sighed.

"Because Barbara is not a person to sit by and watch. She likes to be involved." He said thoughtfully.

"But she couldn't be." Tim objected.

Dick gave a smile.

"Don't doubt it. She could probably kick your butt if she wanted too." He said matter-of-factually.

"Could not." Tim said firmly feeling a bit insulted.

"She might surprise you." Dick said as he stood back up.

Tim swung his feet over the side of the bed in thought.

"Did you ever want to tell her?"

Dick froze.

Did he? Did he ever.

"Sometimes I suppose." He settled on. "And other times not."

This was a slight lie. More often than not, he wanted to tell her badly. Just to have her know. He felt badly at times keeping it a secret, and especially a secret

from your best friend. He wasn't sure how she would take it. What if she got mad at him and never wanted to see him again?

"Guess it didn't matter that much anyway." He muttered, thinking how she left regardless.

"What was that?" Tim asked as he barely heard his brother's remark.

"Nothing. Come on, Bruce will be waiting."

It wasn't the reply Tim was looking for.

* * *

**Random End Notes: **I felt this was kind of choppy in places, but maybe that is just me . . . tell me anything that you want . . .

{Dick/Babs because, HELLO! They are perfect for each other!}

Alright you know the drill. Advice, and (gentle) [be nice please! :}] criticism, would be appreciated. Or a haiku if you feel like one.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **I'm a day late, I know, I know . . .

**Let's See Here:**

**RobinFachCoch****: **Yeah, there was some tearing up on this end too. I'll admit it.

**Broken Antler in Winter: **Giddy because you are happy!

**Guest: **Can do. :)

**KizzenNekoLuzZeBatgangYJ: **Thanks!

**soccernin19: **So glad that you weren't confused by that! I felt I did a bad job explaining it.

**SkyMyst: **My flashbacks are really emotional. It really help me expand my 'sad' writing.

**Jdcocoagirl: **I'm still not quite sure how I think about my portrayal of Tim, but I think it at least works in this story.

**Sue L: **There is not going to be enough time in that story for all that, but that would be a good idea! Obrigado!

**Godgirl4ever:** Well thank you. I'm so glad you weren't confused by the game either!

**Syaoran-Lover: **Between these last few chapters there will be!

**Disclaimer: **I do not yet have the rights to Batman because _some people _won't sell. (I don't blame them.)

**Chapter 4**

Barbara paused to look into a store front shop that lined both sides of the streets in downtown Gotham. She remembered back when she and both of her

parents would spend a day just walking around the city. Those had been the good times, the fun memories that she had tried to remember when she was in

San Francisco. Those days were long gone.

She walked along a few more streets just trying once again to feel like she was a part of the city.

A figure ahead made her stop.

"Tim? Tim!" She called out waving to the boy. He looked up from his phone and gave her a small smile. Shoving it into his pocket, he crossed the busy street

and came to stand in front of her.

"Hello!" Barbara greeted him warmly.

"Hey." Tim said shortly.

Barbara bit her lip. She was having a tough time winning him over.

"Are you out and about by yourself?" She asked.

Tim sighed. He was tired of people treating him like a little kid.

"Are you?" He asked in return.

He got the feeling that she got his point.

"I'm just walking around for the morning." She explained even though he didn't ask. "I like being out here early. Gotham seems almost peaceful."

Tim looked around at the busy streets and noisy cars speeding past. It seemed anything but peaceful.

"I mean in a non-violent way." She clarified upon seeing his expression.

He nodded with new understanding and rested his gaze up on her again.

"Well, I should get going. I'm trying to make it to that little bakery on 4th and main before they run out of apple turnovers. Assuming that they still make them

and that the bakery isn't closed down." She added with a frown.

Tim gave a short sigh. He figured for Dick's sake he might as well make sure that she got there safely.

"I'll go with you." He informed her.

Barbara gave a small smile at his gentlemen-like offer.

"Thank you." She told him. She had no doubt that she could make it by herself, but she was happy to have someone with her. She took the lead and Tim

followed beside her.

They said nothing for the first few blocks.

"So I was thinking . . ." Tim said slowly. "That before you leave, we really ought to have a going away party for you before you leave. From what I understand,

you really didn't have much time for a sendoff."

At this, Barbara went silent. The same look that he had seen in Dick's eyes, he now saw in Barbara's.

"I was just hoping that we had enough time still to do something." He said as he came to a stop by the crosswalk. "When do you leave?"

It was funny that Tim would be the first one to ask her this. Nobody had yet to. Not her father, not Dick, not anyone—until now. She knew that no one really

wanted to know and she didn't want to think about it either. Her throat tightened up.

"Friday. This Friday." She said hesitantly.

"Oh, then we have a few days still." Tim said sounding relieved.

The light on the crosswalk turned green, but Barbara stayed put. She looked sick.

"Are you okay?" Tim asked her hesitantly. He felt badly now about asking.

Instead of replying, she walked across the street. He hurried to keep up with her.

"There it is." She said softly as she gazed on the outside of the little bakery with its white and black striped awning. "Well, do you want anything?" She asked

him trying to be brighter.

Tim shook his head.

"Naw, I'm fine. I got to hurry up and be back home anyway."

"Okay then. Thanks for walking with me." Barbara said with a fresh smile.

"Sure." He said before walking off. He vanished into the crowd.

* * *

"So, how's the world?" Dick greeted his younger brother as he came through the front door.

"Fine. Everything is fine." He reported as he hung up his jacket and followed his brother in to the sitting room.

Dick plopped back down on the couch and picked up the newspaper.

"What are you looking at?" Tim asked. Dick really wasn't one to read the paper unless there was something interesting in it.

"Oh, I was hoping that I could find something for Babs and me to do over the weekend." He responded as he turned a few more pages.

It was Gotham, _something _interesting had to be going on. He just had to figure out what it was. He looked back over at Tim who looked concerned.

"What?" He finally asked after Tim didn't say anything.

"Uh, that might be a little difficult."

"And why is that?" He questioned.

"Because she is leaving Friday." Tim braced for his brother's reaction.

"Tim!" Dick said exhaustively. "I didn't want to know!" He tossed the paper aside in frustration.

Great now he knew. Now his head would be counting down every time he saw her. The one thing he was trying to avoid and now . . .

"Well I think we all realized that she had to leave sometime." Tim stated.

"Yeah, but I didn't . . ." Dick leaned back against the couch.

"I was thinking that we could do something." Tim said hesitantly. "Like have a 'goodbye' party or something."

Dick knew that Tim was trying to help, but at the moment the words came out cold to his ears. He didn't _want _to say goodbye. Not this time. He couldn't.

Tim bit his lip as he watched a strange emotion come over his brother's face. It was a look of pain. Tim instantly felt guilty.

He didn't mind Barbara Gordon, he knew that she was nice, but anytime he saw her a feeling of jealously always popped up. But her leaving was going to

make Dick sad. Tim resolved to behaved better next time he saw her and to try to make sure Dick stayed as happy as possible.

Dick pressed his lips together as he tried to think of a way out of this situation.

Tim seemed to be picking up on his inner turmoil.

"Maybe she can stay longer next time." Tim said trying to be optimistic.

"That's not the point." Dick said bitterly. "The point is that she still has to leave."

Tim frowned and scuffed his foot along the carpet.

"Well, you guys will just have to try harder to stay in touch."

Tim said this after a moment of thought. He realized that being selfish was childish and he was not a child. He could shove aside those feelings if Dick would

stay happy.

Dick seemed to give a snort at this idea.

"That's not the same thing. You can't really keep up with someone as well that far away. It's not the same."

"Well, maybe she can spend a summer here sometime." Tim said still thinking.

"She wouldn't."

"Maybe her mom would let her. It hasn't been so bad as of late."

Dick stared over at his brother with a look. Gotham's version of 'not bad' was still far behind the worlds.

"You never know." Tim said with a shrug. "Does her mother really have that much sway over her? I'm mean, I guess she must if Barbara left with her."

"That's not it." Dick clarified after he cleared his throat. "She didn't leave for her mother, she left for her father."

Tim paused.

"The Commissioner? Why would he want her to leave? Doesn't he want her here?" He asked puzzled. Commissioner Gordon was a nice person. Tim couldn't

believe that he wouldn't want his own daughter living with him.

"Barbara once told me that her father said that he 'would be more at ease if he knew she wasn't here' and that is why she left. What her father does is

important and after he said that I think she felt like if he really thought that, that she would do whatever is was if it made his job easier."

"That's ridiculous."

Dick shrugged looking unhappier than ever.

Tim tried to think of something to say.

"Maybe . . . she would stay longer if you asked her to. I mean, maybe you can convince her that her father doesn't. . ."

"Nope." Dick said with a sigh. "She wouldn't override her father for me." Dick paused. What he really wanted was for her to stay forever. "Besides, I guess I've

thought it was selfish of me wanting her to stay just for my sake. I mean what kind of person would make that kind of demand of someone else, unless they

were willing to . . ."

Dick trailed off into silence not realizing that he had spoken this last thought out loud. A look of inspiration came onto his face. Tim waited a few moments

before speaking.

"Uh, Dick?"

His brother continued to stare at the wall like had a math problem on it.

"Unless . . . what Dick?" Tim asked.

Dick snapped his head around.

"She shouldn't be willing to stay, unless I would be willing to leave."

"Well, I guess that sounds fair, but . . ." Suddenly it dawned on him.

"You can't leave." Tim said quickly. 'Dick you _can't_."

"Why not?' Dick said as the idea solidified in his head. "I could leave if I wanted to."

The idea was suddenly liberating.

"Bruce would never let you." Tim said as he tried to bring Dick back to his senses.

"He couldn't stop me." Dick informed his brother passionately. "I could go to school there."

"But what about Nightwing? What about the whole . . ."

"What about it? Gotham was fine before with just Batman and Robin. Bruce is Batman and you are Robin, problem solved."

"But you're a part of it now. Nightwing is, I mean." Tim said trying not to panic.

Dick had gone off the deep end.

"Dick, I'm serious here." Tim said desperately.

"Me too."

Dick stood there as the idea rolled around in his head. If she couldn't stay, he would leave with her.

Leave Gotham. The idea was an interesting one. Since his family had come with the circus, he had really never left permanently. He wondered what it would be

like—to not be a superhero. Or maybe San Francisco could use one.

"No. I'm going to tel . . ."

"You are not going to tell anyone!" Dick said sternly, getting on eye level with Tim. "Not until I've thought about it more."

Tim fought back the urge to argue. Arguing was not going to help.

"Fine." Tim spat out as he crossed his arms. He wished that he had kept his mouth shut.

* * *

Barbara looked over at her father as she rung Wayne Manor's doorbell.

The sun was setting fast in the horizon leaving a pinky-orange glow in the sky. The view had always been nice from the Manor. She had forgotten what it

looked like.

"Hey, have you ever won?" She asked her father as the doorbell chimed.

Gordon furrowed his brow.

"No and thanks for reminding me."

Barbara laughed.

Chess was Bruce Wayne's game.

"I can't count the number of times we have played, but no matter what, he always finds a way to beat me. I almost beat him once. A few years ago." He tacked

on sheepishly.

"How did you two playing even start anyway?" She asked.

"Somehow we got on the topic, and he invited me over to play. Then we just kept at it everyone in a while and then I brought you over once with me . . ." He

trailed off looking over at her.

Barbara kept her eyes fixed on the door.

Gordon did mean to broach the topic sometime with her, but at the moment he really wasn't sure what to say. At the moment, she seemed in a really good

mood and he didn't want to wreck it by bringing up talk of her leaving.

The door opened.

"Commissioner, Miss Gordon." Alfred greeted them each kindly in turn. "It's so nice to have you both back."

"Thank you Alfred." Gordon responded.

"Long day at work?" Alfred inquired as he led them down the hall.

"You could say that." Gordon replied.

Barbara gave her father a soft smile. In truth, it had been a really hard day, but he was never one to complain to anyone and only rarely would he mention

anything to her at all. Over time, she had come to recognize when her father was worn out. Had she not been here, she was positive that he would have

skipped coming this evening.

"Well, Master Bruce is already waiting for you, and I believe that both the young gentleman are on the back porch." Alfred said turning to Gordon and then

Barbara.

"Alright, don't track any mud into the house." Gordon said giving his daughter a push.

Both of them could remember the time that she and Dick had played tagged after it had rained. In trying to get away from him, she had run in the house

consequently tracking in mud. She had been mortified.

Dick had told her that he would take the fall for it, but she wouldn't let him. She then informed him that her father would realize it was her anyway by the

footprint size.

Dick had started laughing, but then realized how true it was. There was no way that something like that would get passed the Commissioner.

"Okay, Dad I won't." Barbara said with a smile as she fazed out of her trance.

Walking through multiple rooms, she pulled open the glass doors that led to the porch.

She spotted Tim immediately in one of the deck chairs.

"Hello." She said.

"Hey." He greeted her shortly.

Tim felt bad as he realized that he had broken his resolution to be nicer to her. But as soon as he saw here, he couldn't hold it back. Dick was really going to

leave them for _her_?

He gave her a nod that caused her to look to her right.

Dick was passed out on the outdoor couch.

"And what hard work have we been doing today?" Barbara asked with her hands on her hips.

"Nothing much." Tim lied. Last night into this morning had been a hard day. Dick had had a longer shift then himself so Tim had recovered quicker.

Suddenly, the door opened again.

"Uh, Master Tim, could you help me for a moment?" Alfred asked.

Tim instantly stood up.

"Can I help?" Barbara offered.

"I thank you Miss Gordon, but you are a guest."

Barbara gave a slight frown. She had been allowed to help with things before. She quickly gave a smile.

"Okay."

Alfred nodded and shut the door after Tim had entered.

Barbara sat down on the couch next to Dick's feet. Was what going on? She stared at the door puzzled.

"You better wake up soon, lazy boy." She whispered to Dick quietly.

He seemed dead to the world. His black hair was tossed about and his breathing was gentle.

Barbara took a moment to stare over the Manor's 'backyard' if you could call it that. It always look different in the morning than it did at night time. When she

was little, she never saw anyone working on it, but it always looked perfect. Dick tried to tell her that magic fairies cared for it, but she never quite believed

this—well almost never.

"Babs?"

She turned back to see Dick propping himself up. His soft blue eyes took her in.

"Hey, lazy. Get tired of waiting for me?"

He stretch his arms as he sat up fully.

"Guess so." He said letting out a yawn. He looked around the porch and gave her a sly look.

"Where's Tim?"

"Oh, Alfred needed him for something." She explained.

Dick's eyes narrowed but then widened with a smile.

"How long has he been gone?"

"Just a few minutes. Why?" Barbara asked suspiciously.

Moving quickly, he wrapped a hand behind her head and pulled her against himself kissing her hard.

Barbara's eyes widened as her brain caught up with what was happening. She laid her hands against his chest as she tried to keep up with his rapid kisses.

"Dick, we . . ." She tried to put some space between them, but he closed the gap pressing his lips into hers.

" . . . before someone . . ."

Dick slacked his arms enough for her to pull back to see his eyes.

She felt out of breath and lightheaded. She was surprised, slightly shocked and . . .

He leaned forward again brushing his lips against hers as if he just enjoyed the feeling of them.

She felt a shiver run down her back as she felt his hands resting by her side.

"I love you." He whispered against her lips. She could feel the words as he spoke them.

Dick pulled back all the way so that he could see her face.

He was expecting a smile or her to look overjoyed or something. Instead, her mouth hung open slightly and she seemed . . .

"This is where you say something back." Dick said trying to be lighthearted.

Barbara's mouth moved a few times.

Why had he gone and done this, why? A small part of her was hoping that she would come back and he wouldn't like her in the way she wanted him to, that

way she could return home without breaking her heart. Now he had gone and said it right out loud—those three words.

She had been expecting him to say something ever since their kiss in the garden. After that, she couldn't hold back her feelings. She had even gone so far as

to indirectly mention that she thought she loved him even though she wasn't in Gotham anymore.

After that night, she had tried to harden her resolve that she wasn't going to hurt either of them anymore with those feelings. She was going to leave, and it

was best for both of them to remain as unhurt as possible.

Why was he making this so hard?

* * *

"Babs?" Dick said gently. Now he was worried.

Why was she so frozen? Didn't that make her happy?

Last time they kissed she seemed happy. She had, for all purposes, told him that she had fallen in love with him even though they were apart. What was

wrong?

"Dick I don . . ."

Barbara cut off her words and stood up as the porch doors swung open.

Tim used his back to push open the door and pivoted around carefully balancing a tray.

"Oh, you're up." He said noticing Dick sitting up.

"Yeah." Dick said hazily as he continued to stare at Barbara.

Walking over, Tim set down the tray.

"So Alfred made muffins, but I don't remember what kind he said. As long as they aren't banana that's okay with me."

Neither Dick nor Babs said anything.

"Comments? Thoughts?" Tim pressed trying to get either of them to respond.

"Oh, banana isn't that bad." Barbara said turning to look at him.

A funny expression was on her face. Tim narrowed his eyes and turned to stare at Dick who was conveniently not facing his way.

"So, ah." Tim said addressing Dick. "Alfred needed my help with something, but I don't think I was much help. Maybe you should try."

Dick turned his head looking interested.

He wanted to ask Tim what had happened, but Barbara was present so . . .

"Alright, then. I'll be right back." He said simply.

Barbara stood there silently. What was going on with these two?

"Muffin?" Tim asked Barbara trying to be sociable.

"Sure."

He handed one over to her as Dick went into the manor.

Tim tried to think of something to talk about. An idea quickly popped into his head.

"So Dick tells me that you have been obsessed with Batman and Robin ever since Robin saved your life once."

Barbara gave him a smile. Tim could tell that this was something she liked to talk about.

"Well . . . yeah. I guess I think that it's really noble. People taking it upon themselves to help the citizens of this city out. They maybe a little . . . unorthodox,

but I think that there intentions are sincere. They proved they are."

Tim could not help but feel a little pride at her words. He had read and heard plenty of nice, and sometimes not so nice, things about what people thought

about Gotham's vigilantes, somehow hearing it from her it just . . .

"And I know Dick thinks I'm nuts. Well, maybe that's not the right word. I guess he was just worried about me doing anything crazy or something like that."

"Well it's different for you because you are personally connected." Tim pointed out.

"See? That is what I mean! Nobody quite gets it." Barbara said happy that someone saw it her way. "My dad, though grateful, always has been a bit

apprehensive about the whole thing so I don't try to talk about it much in his presence. Which is probably why Dick has heard so much about it." She mused.

He was the one person that she could tell anything to.

Barbara looked around and that sat down on the couch and patted the spot next to her. Tim hesitantly came over and sat down beside her.

"Okay, don't tell anyone this." Barbara began.

Tim smiled at the idea that she was about to trust him with a secret.

"Well, I really want to know what happened to my Robin—the Robin who saved me." She specified.

"Okay." Tim said feeling funny about the whole thing.

"So I want to find out what happened to him."

"How are you going to do that?" Tim asked, slightly fearing the answer.

She shrugged.

"I have no idea. I hoped I would come up with one once I got here, but I'm running out of time."

"Do you think you would just recognize him?" Tim said not quite sure what else to say at this point.

"Hard to say. I don't have much to go on."

"How would you even find him?" Tim was beginning to see why Dick would be worried about her getting too involved.

"I don't have to find him; I just have to see him."

"If he's still doing it." Tim pointed out.

Barbara paused. She hadn't considered that.

"Would you even be able to stop doing something like that?" She asked. "My hope was he just grew up and changed his name."

"You mean Nightwing?" Tim decided that he could at least act like he was keeping up somewhat.

"Look at you paying attention." Barbara said praising him. "I hope that is him. I hope he didn't quit. Can you quit from being a hero? How could you just give

that up? Why would you give that up?"

Tim looked around. Where was Dick to hear this?

"But I suppose that is being harsh. It's not like I understand the life of hero-people. It must be hard."

Amen. Tim thought silently.

Barbara ran a hand through her hair thoughtfully.

"Oh, well. Maybe I can find out next time I'm here. Hey, this is silly, but I had this idea once." She said rapidly changing thoughts. "Of the few times I saw Robin,

he would always wave to me. Like this." She demonstrated by putting her hand into the air and rolling her fingers as if she was playing a piano

Tim stared at her in thought.

"So maybe he would wave the same?"

Barbara dropped her hand.

"Yeah, it's silly. Never mind"

She stared off down into the garden as Tim decided to ask something that he had been wondering about.

"So you really never came back here before now? I kind of find that hard to believe."

Barbara sighed and laid her hands into her lap.

"Well, you have to realize that I was still a kid and neither of my parents wanted me to fly alone no matter how many times I told them that I would be fine. My

dad would always come to see me. My mother _never _wants to come back here, and the one time she did, that was my only other time back here. That was two

years after I had left."

At this point, Tim could tell that she was no longer talking to him.

* * *

*Flashback*

* * *

Barbara rushed to the front of Wayne Manor as fast as her legs could carry her. She loved that everything looked pretty much the same despite the few years

that had passed.

Her mother had a one day conference that she had fought tooth and nail not to attend, but her company practically demanded that she go. As soon as Barbara

heard about this, the begging had never stopped. After a few days, her mother had given in—barely.

There was such short notice, that Barbara had no time to tell anyone that she was coming.

She quickly rang the doorbell and tried not to give a squeal of glee. Why was it taking Alfred so long?

After bouncing around on the front steps for minute, the door opened.

"Alfred!"

The butler looked shocked at the sight before him.

"Miss Gordon." He said softly.

"I'm back Alfred! Just for today though. My mom had to come to town and I came with her!" Barbara announced hurriedly. She paused to take a closer look at

Alfred. "What's wrong Alfred?"

"My dear Miss Gordon." Alfred said softly. He paused to take in a deep breath. Why did he always been the one to be the bearer of bad news? "I'm afraid

Master Dick is not here. He's out of the country with Master Bruce."

Although the butler said it kindly, it did not stop Barbara's reaction from being severe.

She almost crumpled to the ground.

"No . . ." She breathed out softly.

"I'm so sorry." Alfred helped her stand back up from her bent over position.

"How can the world be this unfair?"

Alfred gently led her inside.

"Well, we will just have to do the best we can. How if you tell me everything you wanted to tell Master Dick and I will tell you every story about him that I can

think of?"

Barbara sat down on the couch heavily. Not to be rude, but there were a lot of things that she wanted to tell Dick that she really didn't want to pass on

through Alfred. At this moment, she wished she wouldn't have come. This was harder than anything.

"Well? How about it?" Alfred asked as he seamlessly pulled a cup of tea for her out of thin air.

"Why do sad moments always come down to me and you Alfred?"

He paused at the young girl's words.

"I don't know, but I wish they wouldn't." Alfred replied honestly. "But we will do our best to push on, won't we? Shall I start?"

* * *

*End Flashback*

* * *

"I don't try to keep a list of my worst days ever, but that one is on the list."

Tim sat there silently, but then asked another question.

"I'm surprised that you risked coming back here unannounced again."

"Yeah well, this time I had a pretty good idea that everyone would be here since my dad mentioned something about attending something at the manor that

week. But to be honest, I was still kind of freaked out. My luck seems to stink when it comes to this place." She gave a sad laugh. "But I'm a stubborn person

and I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Then I'm glad it worked out this time." Tim said honestly.

It was obvious that this poor girl needed a break.

* * *

They wandered into the house since it was now dark. Dick was still absent.

Tim watched Barbara as they walked through various rooms. He got to hear stories about the time when she and Dick had a picnic indoors, when Barbara had

sprained her ankle trying to jump over a pile of couch cushions, and when they had both spend an entire evening at a party under a table eating cheese while

trying to decide which women wore the most ridiculous shoes.

"Who won?" Tim had to ask.

"I don't remember her name, but the shoes she wore were _way _too high and had large tacky rhinestones all over them."

Tim had to smile at the mental picture.

As they rounded a corner, they bumped into Alfred.

"Oh, I was just coming to fetch you all." He said "Where is Master Dick?"

Tim gave Alfred a quick look.

"Ah, yes. Is he _still _trying to fix that one thing for me? I didn't realize that he was still at it." Alfred inserted seamlessly.

Tim gave a short sigh of relief. It was a good thing that Alfred was quick.

"Well, I should go check on him. Your father is in the east room, Miss Gordon. I'm sure that you remember where that is." He said with a smile.

Barbara gave a nod and Tim started walking again.

They quickly found the room where Bruce and the Commissioner were. Tim noticed how tired the Commissioner looked as soon as he entered the room. He

gave his daughter a smile and gave Tim hello. Bruce gave Tim a quick glance and he gestured a finger towards the floor to indicate where Dick was.

Tim and Barbara followed slowly as Bruce and Gordon led the way to the front door.

Even once they were outside of the Manor, the grownups paused to talk about something.

Tim looked over at Barbara who was staring out at the horizon that was filled with Gotham's tallest skyscrapers.

"You know what?" Barbara told him quietly. "Is it weird that I miss this crazy city? This odd, dangerous, unpredictable city—I love it."

Tim looked back over at the grownups and then back up at Barbara.

"Can I ask you something?"

He was surprised how calmly he said it.

"Sure." Barbara said quickly.

Tim stared at his feet and then back up at her.

"Do you love my brother?"

It might have been considered a bold question, but if Dick was going to move across the country for her, Tim felt he had a right to make sure that she liked him.

Barbara seemed to be caught off guard, although she didn't seem embarrassed.

She didn't answer right away which caused Tim to narrow his eyes.

"Yeah, I do." She said softly while staring at him.

Tim nodded. That was all he needed to know.

* * *

**Random End Notes: **Don't be shy—tell me what you think!

{Dick/Babs because, HELLO! They are perfect for each other!}

Alright you know the drill. Advice, and (gentle) [be nice please! :}] criticism, would be appreciated. Or a haiku if you feel like one.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **Late again—I can be such a slacker.

**Let's See Here:**

**Godgirl4ever: **You might be right . . . eventually.

**softballplayer363: **Thanks so much!

**KizzenNekoLuzZeBatgangYJ: **"soon" eh . . . I try. :)

**soccernin19: ***big smile* Thank you!

**Guest: **Awwwww . . . thanks!

**SkyMyst:** Again "soon" is a relative term here . . . :)

**Jdcocoagirl: **Always nice to hear your opinion!

**Sue L: **Your wishes are about to be granted. ;)

**3 Nightwing 3: **My stories all always a bit . . . different. (but in a good way I hope). About Bruce/Dick I do need to work on their interactions some more. I do

have a one-shot with them that I should publish sometime. Thanks!

**Batgirlfornightwing: **Glad that you are enjoying!

**Disclaimer:** No I don't own Batman or Kit-Kats, but thanks for asking.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"Dick." Bruce called out as soon as the young man arrived back at the cave.

"Hey, sorry it took so long. The Mount Justice computers were going nuts for some reason. Took me longer than I thought to fix it. We'll probably have to

update them soon." Dick warned him.

Bruce nodded as he committed the suggestion to memory.

"How are you doing?"

Dick paused and looked confused.

"I'm fine."

Bruce nodded again.

Alfred had recently voiced his concerns about Dick since Miss Gordon had come back. Bruce knew that Dick would still be fond of her and he didn't want his son

to be hurt again.

"Did the Gordons leave already?"

"Yes, not too long ago."

Dick looked disappointed but nodded.

"Don't worry. Tim seemed to find things to talk to Barbara about so that she wouldn't be bored." Bruce assured him.

"That's nice of him."

Bruce noticed that at first, Tim did not seem to like the girl. Alfred had assured him though that it was just jealousy over the attention that Dick was giving her.

Tim had never had to share his brother before.

Dick trailed his fingers across the top of a computer in thought.

Bruce wished he knew better what to say. He almost wished that Dick would lose some attachment to the girl in her absence, but their parting had been so

strong that he knew that their bond would not easily be broken. Not that he wanted it to break, but he had hopes that his adopted son would find someone

who lived closer.

Not that he didn't like Barbara either. She was a very smart girl and Bruce respected her father and his work.

Dick and she would seem perfect for each other if there was not such a gap between where they lived.

Dick had been very quiet in speaking to Bruce about Barbara at any time. He hadn't said much and that almost worried Bruce more. Dick was inclined to talk to

someone—Alfred—about his feeling, but as of last report, he had not taken up any discussions with Alfred on the matter.

It was out of Bruce's hands and he knew it. He would just have to make sure to give Dick plenty of things to do after she left in order to keep his mind off her.

He hated seeing Dick sad.

* * *

"Hey little bro, thanks for covering for me."

"Sure." Tim said with a shrug.

Dick crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe as he watched his brother hang up a few things in his closet.

"So Bruce said you talked to Barbara and stuff."

"Yeah, what was I supposed to do? _Not_ talk to her?" Tim gave him a look.

"Well, thanks."

Tim hung another things into his closet and then spoke again.

"So she talked about Robin more—_you _Robin." He clarified.

"Oh, yeah? What did she say?"

Dick took some pleasure in the fact that she still remembered his original alter ego.

"She was just going on about she basically wants to know what happened to him and also something about how you used to wave to her."

Dick smiled.

"Yeah, I used to wave like this when I saw her." Dick demonstrated the same gesture that Barbara had done.

"I thought you just saved her life _once_." Tim stressed with a question hidden.

"Well, I might have seen her more times than that." Dick added with a cough.

Dick never needed much of an excuse to stop by if he was in the area—just to check on her.

"Dick!" Tim said with some horror. "You went to see her? Bruce would be so mad if he knew."

"I think he did suspect it, but after she left it really didn't matter. It's not like we talked. I just waved."

Tim seemed to accept this excuse.

"Well Nightwing should wave to her then sometime. It would be the easiest way to let her know before she tries to get too involved, but I guess it doesn't

matter if you are going to . . ."

Tim trailed off and went back into his closet.

Dick sighed.

Why did this choice have to be so dividing? Could he really be happy if his adoptive family was sad? But what about him? Didn't he get to factor in _his own_

happiness?

* * *

An evening later as Barbara sat in her room, she heard a noise. Not sure where it was coming from, she set down her book and stood up.

The noise happened again.

Realizing what it was, she walked over to her window, raised the blinds, and lifted up the window.

"Throwing rocks at a girl's window is kind of old fashion." She called down to Dick.

He shrugged and gave her a winning smile.

"What do you want?"

"Can you come out and play?" He asked eagerly.

"Give me a moment." She called down to him.

She shut the window and grabbed her cardigan off the back of her chair.

"Hey, Dad?" She asked as she came into the living room. "Can I go out with Dick?"

Her father looked at the time and gave her a soft smile.

"I suppose so, just don't stay out too late."

She leaned down and kissed his cheek.

"Thanks Dad."

Barbara threw on her shoes and stepped out into the evening air. It was a bit chillier than she had realized. Winding her way around the complex's corner, she

spotted Dick waiting by the curb.

"You ready to go?" He asked her. His face seemed to be lit up with excitement.

"Of course!" She replied happily.

They walked across to the other side of the street where Dick had parked his sports car.

"Uh, sorry about abandoning you last night." He mentioned with a slight grimace. He wasn't facing her as he said it.

Barbara smiled at his remorse.

"It's fine. It sounded like you were doing something important anyway." She mentioned this casually hoping that he would comment further about what had

been going on—he didn't.

"Yeah, thanks." He said solemnly. He unlocked the doors as they both got in.

"Oh, and before we go . . ."

Dick reached a hand behind to the backseat of the car and pulled out a bag.

It was a gift bag. A small green gift bag with yellow poka-dots. He handed it to her.

"I actually got this for you that year for your birthday. I got it in advance, but when you . . . I guess I should have sent it to you or something but I never did."

To be honest, Dick liked to open his closet and see the bag sitting there on the top shelf. Year after year it was like a small reminder that someday he was

going to see her again and be able to give it to her in person.

"Oh, ah." He stopped her from looking inside. "Just so you know, it's probably no good now and I'll have to replace it." He warned her.

Barbara looked concerned.

"Is it . . . dead?"

He started laughing.

"No, it's not that. It's . . . just open it."

Barbara reached in pushing past the tissue paper and pulled out a bag of Kit-Kats.

"Do you remember that one school day when you told me that you thought that you could eat a whole bag by yourself? I decided that I was going to get you

one." He explained.

Barbara smiled as she recalled that moment and wished that everything would have stayed the same. Opening the bag up, she pulled out one of the bars and

ripped the packaging off. She held it out to him and he reached over. They carefully broke the bar into two perfect sides.

It had taken them awhile to perfect it, but they had decided for that reason that Kit-Kats were the perfect food to share.

Barbara popped her piece into her mouth.

"Uh, yeah, you owe me another bag. That is really stale." She made a face as she finished chewing.

"It's not actually that bad." Dick mentioned after he swallowed. "But I will get you another bag." He promised.

* * *

Dick pulled up to the park.

"I wanted us to come here to watch the stars come out. It's on our list." He reminded her.

There were a few people still hanging about, but most of them were on their way out.

"That's right kids. Time to go home." Dick said as he and Barbara passed a few families as they walked down the path. "Go home because your parents and

certain overbearing British butlers have no idea how fun it could be to stay and watch the stars come out."

"I'm thinking that none of these kids _have _British butlers." Barbara pointed out with a smile.

"I don't think that you can assume that." Dick said pretending to be hurt.

They made their way lazily to the top of the hill that stood off to one side of the park. A large maple tree had been growing there for years upon years.

"How have you been?" Barbara asked giving the tree a friendly pat on its rough trunk. Dick watched her with an amused smile.

He sat down on the grass and gave her arm a tug. Slightly caught off balance, Barbara inelegantly sat quickly down. Dick gave a snort of laughter as he

wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug that pulled her closer so that her back was pressed against his chest.

"We've waited a long time to do this." He said softly. "Do you remember how we were going to play?"

Barbara nodded.

"First person so see a star wins right?"

"Yes, but what they win is still undecided."

"Well, we never have actually played so . . ."

"Then tonight we can decided." Dick said with a smile.

She gave another nod and leaned against him.

Dick looked out into the sky as it turn a deep violet color.

Leaning down, he kissed the top of her head. This was going to be a great night.

* * *

"Alfred, can I ask you something?"

The butler looked up suddenly from the book he was reading to stare at the young master.

"Of course." Alfred said as he shut his book.

A serious look crossed Tim's face.

"Do you think that people really act . . . funny when they are in love?"

Alfred blinked.

He eyed the boy cautiously.

"Have you been acting funny?" He asked carefully.

Tim deadpanned and took a step back.

"What? No! Not me!" Tim said quickly.

"Oh, I was going to say . . ." Alfred said sounding relieved. "Then who are we talking about?"

"Dick."

"Master Richard?"

Alfred paused with that thought.

To be honest, he had never put Master Dick's feelings to that point yet. Especially with them not even being back together for a full week, but . . .

"You're smiling." Tim pointed out.

"I guess . . . I mean, I suppose that we always joked about it, but . . ."

"But . . .?" Tim questioned, a little irritated that Alfred wasn't finishing any sentences.

"Well, just that I mean we only joked about it."

"Who's we?

"Well myself, the Commissioner, even Master Bruce at times."

Alfred frowned suddenly looking grave.

"What is it?" Tim asked.

"It's just that I'm not sure how he is going to take it. Master Dick I mean."

"You mean the fact that she's going to _leave_?"

Alfred nodded.

"It was such a hard time for both of them. I don't wish to see it again."

It was Tim's turn to frown.

If Dick has his way, it was _they _who were going to be the sad ones.

* * *

Barbara sat there thoughtfully wrapped up in Dick's arms. She really needed to tell him that she was going to leave in two days. But every time she tried a

lump formed in her throat.

It would be slightly pointless though. She knew Dick, and knowing him meant that he was going to take what she had to say and pretend that it never

happened.

He had never even asked her when she was leaving.

She listened to him talk for a bit about this and that, not actually paying much attention. She heard him recap a few old stories and then he fell silent. He gave

a contented sigh and kissed the back of her head again.

This was killing her.

"Remember when Alfred refused to make me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch because he thought that they were unhealthy? For a month, _you _

would bring that sandwich and then I would just trade you for whatever he did pack me."

Barbara nodded. She had had the best lunches that month. Alfred always packed Dick a delicious lunch. Her father had no idea why she was eating the same

sandwich day after day at school.

Barbara felt a drop of rain on her arm. Looking around, she saw no other raindrops. She put a hand to her face and realized that it was coming from her.

She was crying.

Why did this have to be so hard—why? Why did her parents get divorced? Why did her mother have to move so far away? Why did she even agree to go

without putting up that much of a fight?

Well, she knew the answer to that one. Her father told her that it would ease his mind. She didn't want him to be worried about her well-being. Just that one

time had been enough to almost send him into a panic.

She was always quick to remind herself that even that time Robin had been there.

"Babs?"

She tried to respond quickly.

"Yeah?" She got out barely without her voice cracking. She looked up into the sky and saw that it saw that it was filled with stars. "Oh, I guess you win."

"You weren't playing." He replied sounding serious.

Barbara rubbed a tear away.

"Sorry I just . . . got lost there." She explained.

She felt Dick hug her tighter as he kissed her head again.

"You know we still need to all sorts of things. Weren't we going to . . .?"

She stood up quickly causing him to be knocked back.

"Babs?" He questioned with concern coming into his voice. Had he done something wrong?

"Sorry, I'm just . . . cold." It was lame she knew it. The night wasn't that cold, but suddenly she felt cold.

"I'm sorry. I'm a jerk. I could have told you that we were going to be outside before we left." He started to pull his sweater over his head.

"No, it's . . . I'm fine." She said stopping him. "I just want to go home." She knew it sounded harsh. She didn't mean it to be.

Dick stood up still looking worried. Barbara looked ridged as she stood there. He saw her bring a hand to her face again.

Was she crying?

"Babs . . ."

She started walking down the hill.

"Babs . . . he said catching up with her. He reached for her arm.

She didn't have the strength to stop him from turning her around. She tried not to look at him, but he cupped her cheek with his hand.

He immediately felt the wetness of her tears.

"What's wrong?"

He suddenly felt like he was twelve again.

"Dick." She said shortly. Her mind was going crazy. She had to be rational about this. She had to be rational because he couldn't be. "Dick, you know I have to

leave."

"Babs . . ."

"Dick please . . ." She begged him looking straight into his eyes.

He shook his head. He wasn't going to let her go down this path.

"I'm not . . ."

"You can't pretend like it's not going to happen." She insisted.

Dick paused. Should he tell her of his plan? Had he truly decided? In a heartbeat, he knew he had.

"So please don't argue. Not tonight." She insisted.

Dick held his tongue.

'Come on then." He said softly as he walked passed her.

The ride back was silent and gloomy—the exact opposite of the trip there.

* * *

Dick opened the door to his room and sat down heavily on his bed. A knock soon came to the door.

"Come in."

"Hey." Tim said softly pushing the door open. "You're back early. Who won?"

"Me." Dick said without any joy in his voice.

"Oh."

Tim shut the door and came to sit on the floor. Dick was obviously in a sour mood. He wanted to ask Dick what had happened, but decided against it.

"She told me that she was leaving and I shouldn't argue about it."

Tim fidgeted in place.

"Before that, everything was going fine until she . . . started crying."

Tim couldn't picture Barbara crying very easily. In fact, he couldn't picture it at all.

"She said that I couldn't pretend that it wasn't going to happen . . . which I suppose is true. That's basically what I've been doing since day one." Dick stood up

in frustration.

He wished for another option, but there were only two.

"So when are you going to tell him?"

"Who? What?"

"Bruce. That you're leaving."

"I . . ." Dick paused. Tim didn't seem upset or fazed.

"Well, you aren't going to be much help to us if you are going to be in a mood every night." Tim said with a shrug.

"You're okay with this?" Dick asked.

"I don't want you to be unhappy, and Barbara is a nice person who already has had to go through a lot."

"Whoa." Dick said with wide eyes. "You are way more mature then I was when I was your age."

Tim rolled his eyes.

"At least I can visit you." Tim said trying to be on the bright side. "And at first I didn't want to let you, but I guess I was just being selfish. I mean I don't want

you to go, but you like her and she loves you so . . ."

"How do you know that?" Dick broke in.

"How do you not?" Tim looked at him in surprise. "She told me."

"She . . . told you?"

"Well, I asked her."

"You asked her!"

"Is there an echo in here? Yeah. I asked her. I wasn't going to let you leave if she didn't."

Dick's mouth was now hanging open.

"Which one of us is the older brother here?"

"Just a moment ago you didn't even know that she loved you, so there." Tim pointed out. "Somebody had to know."

"Well, I guess I _hoped_. It's just when I . . . never mind." Dick said realizing that he did not want to go into detail with Tim.

"So go." Tim said simply taking a moment to look at the carpet.

"When do you think I should tell Bruce?" Dick asked nervously.

"When he's in a good mood?"

"Funny. Real funny." Dick said running a hand through his hair.

* * *

Barbara walked a few times around her block. She had to clear her head. She had no idea what she was going to do.

She loved him—she really did.

What was she going to do about it?

The streets were fairly quiet. A few dogs barked as she passed by. She used to know every dog on the block. Now, none of them looked familiar.

"Maybe I shouldn't have come back."

The words were whispered quietly to the breeze. It was a lie though, there had not been a day since she had left that she did not dream of coming back.

She knew that they could try to keep up with each other. Technology had far advanced letter writing—but nothing would compare with actually being there with

Dick. She still would miss out on so much.

It wouldn't be fair to him anyway to make him be in a long-distance relationship. Dick was an out and about kind of person. He needed to do things and go

places—all things that they couldn't do with each other.

What long-distance relationship actually worked out that well anyway? Barbara was too smart to attempt one even though she wanted to desperately.

Standing there under the night sky, the world seemed so simple.

She turned the last corner on the street when something stopped her cold.

Lighting up the night sky in all its glory—the batlight.

"Oh my word!" Barbara shrieked. Pulling out her phone she took a picture. She couldn't believe it after all these years there it was.

She started texting.

_Dick! I just saw the batlight!_

Her finger hovered over the 'send' button. Maybe she shouldn't bug him with this, not after what had happened tonight. But then again who else was she

supposed to tell? She sent the message.

By the time she opened the door at the apartment, she had not gotten a response back.

Maybe Dick was doing something. Maybe he wasn't near his phone, maybe . . . he didn't care.

Her father was, of course, gone, but he had left a note that he had to go to the office.

Barbara raced to her room and flopped on her bed.

When she was little, she would sit on the edge of her bed and just watch it in the night sky. After her father got home, no matter what the time, she always

had to know what he was working on.

Her mother was never pleased.

The batlight went out.

Barbara checked her phone. There was still no response.

She fell asleep.

"Barb? Barb?" A voice softly whispered.

"Mmm. . . Dad?" Barbara mumbled as she lifted her head.

"Hey, you're just sleeping funny in your bed. You should turn around and sleep normally or you'll get a neck ache or something."

"Yeah I just . . ." She stopped to rub her eyes. "Hey, you turned on the batlight! What happened? Did you . . .?"

"Slow down, slow down." Her father said as he sat down next to her. "I see that hasn't died down any."

Barbara shook her head.

"Well . . ." He began. "Say, were you out with Dick long?"

"Oh, not really." Barbara admitted.

"Everything go okay?"

She sighed. She supposed that there was no use lying to him.

"What happened?" He asked quietly.

"Nothing really. Well, nothing unexpected I guess."

Her father said nothing.

"Dad, I don't want to leave. I really, really don't want to leave. And I know I don't have a choice, but I really love this crazy, ridiculous, crime riddled town. I love

to hear the sirens at night and I love visiting you at the station." She started wiping a few stray tears from her face.

"I just miss you, and the town, and the people that aren't psychopaths. I miss seeing the town light up at night, and walking down the streets . . .

"You missed something else."

Her father's words caused her to look at him.

"I said that I missed you Dad." She pointed out trying to smile.

He shook his head.

"No I mean that you missed something. _Someone_ in particular. A certain young man. . ?"

Barbara bit her lip hard and nodded violently finding that she couldn't speak.

"Come 'ere." He said pulling her close. She leaned in against him as he ran a hand through her hair just like when she was little. "I talked to your mother today.

She called after you had left." He said after a moment.

"Yeah?" Barbara asked coming out of her trance a bit as she focused on her father's words. "How did that go?"

She kind of dreaded to know the answer. She felt her father shrug against her.

"She asked how you were and what you were doing. Said that you had not called her much. And before you ask, I did not tell her of your little scheme."

"Thanks Dad." Barbara said with a light smile. Her father really didn't answer the question, but she knew better than to pry on that level.

"I told her that you were out with Dick and she said that she wasn't surprised. I tried to tell her a few other things that I knew that you had done. She said

that she would call you tomorrow." Her father paused with a sigh. "You know that little boy has missed you a lot too—although I guess he's not little anymore."

Barbara smiled. Neither of them were anymore.

"I remember the first party I attended at Wayne Manor after you had left. I'll never forget it." Her father said. "I came in and was walking around saying hello

as usual, when I spotted Dick. His face lit up as usual when he saw me, but just as quickly his face fell into a frown. I realized that he had remembered again

that you weren't with me. I didn't see much of him that night until I ran across him sitting in a corner by himself. I said hello and he didn't say much back."

Her father took a look at her and then continued.

"During that time, I guess I felt like Dick was the only one who truly understood what I was feeling. I sat down next to him and told him that it was alright to

feel sad. I said that I understood how he felt because the same little red-haired girl stole my heart too."

"Dad . . ." Barbara said with a slight blush.

Her father gave a soft chuckle, but then looked serious.

"You know, back then Barb, we tried to do what was best for you, but maybe we didn't do what was _right _for you."

Barbara was quiet.

"I know." She admitted softly.

She knew that they had been trying to do their best, but still. . .

"So as your mother talked with me, she said that she knew she was going to lose you if she let you come back."

Barbara rolled her eyes. She was surprised that her mother _did _let her come by herself. Nothing was more important to her mom than making sure that Barbara

stayed away from this town.

"Well she was right about that." Barbara said trying hard not to be rude.

"And that's why she said that if were still obsessed with everything about this town that she would let you stay."

"What did you say?" Barbara said giving a start. Her father gave her a slow smile.

"She . . . she'll let me stay? Forever?"

"If it's what you really want."

"How could I not?" Barbara cried as she gave her father a hug. "How on earth did you make her agree to that?" Barbara asked.

"It was her idea." Her father said softly.

Barbara sat there stunned.

"Why?"

Her father shrugged.

"Because she loves you."

Barbara exploded with emotion.

"And I can really stay? I can! Oh my word! I have to . . . to. . . Dad I'm so happy I can't believe. . . I can . . ." Barbara tried to form a sentence as all her

emotions came to the surface. Her father started laughing.

"Calm down Barb, or the neighbors will call the cops." He joked.

"I can go to school here, and I can visit you every day, I can . . . I have to tell Dick!" She scooped up her phone and then remembered the time. "I suppose that

I should tell him at a more reasonable hour."

Barbara hated to wait that long to tell him, but she would rather tell him in person. She couldn't wait.

"I don't know if I can sleep!"

Barbara looked out her window at the night sky. The world was somehow perfect.

* * *

**Random End Notes: **I hate to be the bearer of bad news but there is only **1 **chapter left. I'm sad too . . .

{Dick/Babs because, HELLO! They are perfect for each other!}

Alright you know the drill. Advice, and (gentle) [be nice please! :}] criticism, would be appreciated. Or a haiku if you feel like one.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **I am sorry, sorry, sorry for updating this so late. I had a bummer start to my week and couldn't get around to it. You'll forgive me, right? :)

**Let's See Here:**

**softballplayer363****: **Thank you so much for reading! I'm sorry that this wasn't as soon as you would have liked!

**Blacktarget:** *blushes* Wow, thank you.

**Batgirlfornightwing: **Thank you for your nice comments. I would love to write something more in depth about them getting married sometime (meaning when I get a good idea). I have touched on it in stories like "Ask Me" and "Family Matters" but I've never done a whole scale story—something to work on in the future.

**KizzenNekoLuzZeBatgangYJ: **: D

**soccernin19: **I was laughing so much reading your review!

**Jdcocoagirl: **Irony is always a great plot device.

**Acinorev17:** Thank you so much! Glad you are enjoying it!

**SkyMyst: **I don't entirely wrap that up, sad to say, but you know how Barbara is . . .

**Sue L: **I don't think I wrote everything that you wanted, but I hope enough is still there to keep you happy.

**3 Nightwing 3:** As I have said before, I am a happily-ever-after type of girl. That being said some things are a given. 1. I probably won't kill anyone and 2. My stories will end happily. So in this case, some predictability is a given. To be honest, there was a millisecond of thought that made me think about ending this with Dick actually leaving or them still being apart, but then . . . my "Happy" gear shifted in and you'll get the ending you get. If you are _very _good I will try to publish my Dick & Bruce story sometime soon-ish (note the unspecific time frame). It's just a one-shot for now, but it serves as a starting point for me being confident to write more of them. Did I say thank you yet? Thank you!

**Disclaimer: **Real people who own Batman would never be late publishing something.

**Chapter 6**

Barbara woke up the next morning and pronounced that it was going to be the best day every much to the amusement of her father.

Grabbing her phone, she read the text that Dick had left her.

_Oh my word! That is like totally awesome!- you dork. :p_

Barbara had to laugh. Dick did a terrible impersonation of a teenage girl.

She couldn't wait to see him.

After eating enough breakfast to technically qualify as eating breakfast, Barbara rushed out the door.

It took about everything in her not to ring Wayne Manor's doorbell eighty-thousand times as she waited for Alfred to come.

"Miss Gordon, how nice to see you. Is Master Dick expecting you? He didn't say anything to me about it." He added as he let her in.

Barbara shook her head.

"It's kind of a surprise visit I guess."

Alfred gave a warm smile.

"I'm sure that he will be delighted. I shall go fetch him for. . ."

"Can you tell me where he is?" Barbara broke in. "I don't want to trouble you. I'll just go to him."

Alfred nodded as if he sensed something was up. Knowing Alfred, she had no doubt that he did.

"He was up on the third level study. Do you remember where that is?" Alfred teased softly knowing perfectly well that she did.

Barbara thanked him and took off up the stairs trying very hard not to run.

She bumped into Tim on the second floor.

"Barbara? What are you doing here?" He asked her as she came to a halt.

"I needed to see Dick and to tell him something." She explained. It was really hard not to blurt the whole thing out.

"Oh, ah, can I say something before you do?"

Barbara nodded at the boy's request.

Tim took in a deep breath and tried to say what he thought needed to be said.

"I'm sorry I was so rude to you. I really didn't want to be; I just couldn't seem to help it at times."

"Aw Tim. It's okay." She consoled him with a smile.

"Not really." He argued back. "I was just . . . jealous of you I guess."

"Of me?" Barbara said with slight hesitation. She looked to her feet and then back at the boy. "To be honest Tim, I was kind of jealous of you."

He looked stunned.

"I mean, I was glad to hear that Dick got a brother, but I was afraid that you would replace me."

"I don't think that I could." Tim objected.

"I mean, I was glad that he had you, but I thought that he would forget all about me. That I wouldn't be . . . needed anymore."

"That's silly. He needs you more than ever now, which is why I'm okay with his going."

Barbara paused. She was confused.

"Going where?" She questioned.

Tim's eyes widened as if he had misspoke.

"_Tim?" _She pressed. What was he hiding?

"With you."

Barbara blinked.

"Where are Dick and I going today?" She asked.

"No not today. Tomorrow."

Barbara sighed. Yep that was Dick—trying to forget the reality of the situation.

"Where were we going to go?"

Tim shuffled his feet and looked around hoping that someone would walk down the hall. No one did. Shoot, he was going to have to tell her.

"He is going to go back with you."

"Back with m. . ." Barbara stopped talking. He was going to go back with her? To San Francisco? That was his plan?

How idiotic—how . . . sweet.

"That moron." Barbara muttered. She looked over at Tim who was eyeing her cautiously. "Where is he?"

"He's still in the study, another floor up."

"Thanks Tim." She gave him a smile and headed for the stairs.

* * *

Dick heard a soft knock at the door. Which was odd since anyone in the house at the moment would just walk in.

"Come in?" He said hesitantly. His body was tense, ready for whoever was coming through that door.

"Dick?"

He immediately relaxed at the sound of Barbara's voice.

"Babs?" He called out as she stuck her head in the door. He gave her a smile.

She didn't immediately return it.

"Is something up?" He asked her as he got up from his chair. She looked almost mad.

"Are you an idiot?

"Ah . . . maybe?" He scratched the back of his head. What was she talking about?

"How could you even think of doing something like that?" She charged.

"Something like wh . . .?

"And what about Tim? What? You were just going to leave him?" Her tone of voice informed him that he was in major trouble.

The pieces of the puzzle came together in his head. Someone had told her. _Tim _had told her.

"Listen Barbara."

"No, you listen to me Richard John Grayson. You are going to promise me that you are never _ever _going to move to San Francisco."

Dick took a few steps back and realized that his back was against a wall.

"Babs, I . . ." He tried unsuccessfully to argue back.

"Right now Dick." She demanded staring him down.

"But I just want. . . ."

"Now." She repeated. Her index finger was pointed directly at his chest.

He couldn't believe this was happening. Why wasn't she happy that he wanted to go with her? Now what was she doing forcing him to promise this?

"Babs, please. I want to go wit. . ."

"Stop arguing and promise."

Dick slouched in defeat.

"If it's what you want."

She nodded.

"I promise." He muttered bitterly.

There is was. His solution to the problem lay in the dustbin.

"It was an idiotic idea Dick. How could you even think it? How could you just leave everything here just like that?" She added snapping her fingers.

"Maybe because I wanted to!" Dick said not being able to take her lecture anymore. "Maybe because I'm tired of our lives being lived in separate directions!"

"You want to know another reason why your idea is stupid?" She asked.

"Babs, did you hear anything I just said?" He asked flabbergasted.

Barbara was having a hard time holding a smile back.

"No I do not want to know!" He said to answer her question.

She could tell he was upset now.

"It's stupid because when you got there you would find out that I didn't live there anymore."

He opened his mouth and then closed it.

"What are you saying?" He asked tentatively. Where was she going now?

"I'm saying Grayson." She said grabbing a fist full of his shirt to pull him closer. "That you are going to be seeing a lot of me from now on." Barbara didn't bother

to hide her smile.

"Wait you're . . ?"

She didn't let him finish.

"Babs." He whispered after she pulled away from the kiss. "I didn't think that was even an option."

"It wasn't until yesterday." She said with a shrug. "My mom had a change of heart I guess. I'll have to talk to her about it."

"I can't believe it. I can't believe that you're staying."

"For good." She punctuated.

Dick shook his head like he couldn't even imagine how it was all working out. Instinctively, he pulled her into a hug.

"Would you really have left for me Dick?"

"Of course." He mumbled into her hair. She pulled back to stare at him. "What?" He asked after a minute.

"You know, no one else has blue eyes quite like yours."

"Well, you better get used to seeing them." He teased before giving her a long kiss. Her felt her hands gently wander through his hair.

"I love you." She told him as they pulled apart.

He stood there like a rock.

"This is where you say something back." She added with a grin.

"I love you too Babs. And this time, I'm not letting anything take you away again."

"Good." She said with a smile at his promise.

A knock came to the door.

"Come in." Dick called out after a quick glance at Barbara.

"Why is everyone getting so formal around here?" Dick questioned as Tim walked in.

"I figured that it was better safe than sorry." Tim said giving a shrug. He looked between the both of them. They both looked happy sooo . . .

"Sooooo what's up?"

"You would never guess." Dick said with a grin.

"I'm getting tired of guessing games. How about if you just tell me."

Dick and Barbara seemed to be trying to decided telepathically which one of them should tell him, when finally Dick spoke up.

"Well after a lot of discussion I have decided to . . . let Babs stay here."

Tim opened his mouth and then shut it as Barbara gave Dick a slap on his shoulder.

"He means that I am going to be staying and that Dick doesn't have to leave."

Heaving a sigh of relief, Tim plopped down on the floor.

He was not going to lose his brother; in fact, he was going to gain a . . . sister? Tim made a face. Maybe that was moving too fast.

* * *

Barbara started to laugh at his expression.

"What are you thinking Tim?" She asked with a smile. The boy quickly shrugged and looked the other way.

"So I guess that wrecks our plans for a goodbye party." He said after a moment. "But I guess we have a happy reason to cancel."

"I technically will have to leave so I can go get my stuff." Barbara reminded him.

"So, maybe we can change it to a "see you soon" party or something." Tim decided on.

Barbara smiled at the idea.

That sounded fine to her.

* * *

"But you're still leaving."

Barbara rolled her eyes as she turned to face Dick.

They were back at the airport where everything had started.

"But not permanently."

Dick looked unconvinced.

"And you're _sure _that you don't want my help."

"Doing what? From what I remember you don't have any organizational skills to speak of. Why would I want your help packing?"

"I might have gotten better." Dick said defensively.

"You want me to ask Alfred?" Barbara threatened.

Dick shrunk back.

"No." He admitted.

Barbara started to laugh.

"I'll be back okay? I promise. Then we can create another list and spend the rest of the summer doing it before school starts."

Dick gave a slow smile.

It was like they were getting another chance at that summer—only a lot later.

"Tim can help this time."

"I don't think he was too impressed by the last list." Barbara mentioned.

Dick nodded. He had picked up on that pretty easily. But now they all could have fun. All three of them together.

"And near the top of that list you can add trying to find my Robin." Barbara spoke up.

Dick smiled.

"Ehhh, I don't know Babs. Won't your dad be mad or something?"

"Oh come on, we don't have to tell him. If you won't help me, I'll get Tim to. We have it all planned out."

"What does _that _mean?" Dick asked her warily.

"I'll tell you later."

Barbara wasn't going to spill the whole plan now. Tim had been very enthusiastic about the whole idea. It was nice to have him on her side now. There was so

much to look forward to when she came back.

* * *

Dick bit the inside of his cheek.

Oh, he did _not _like the sound of this. What exactly did Tim and her dream up? How was this possibly going to work? Bruce would kill them both if he got wind of

it. He needed to call Tim and make him spill.

"Dick, you still with me?" Barbara said waving her hand in his face.

"Yeah, just worried about whatever it is you are about to involve me in."

Barbara smiled.

"Nothing illegal. Like I said Tim and I have it planned out."

"That's what makes me worried." Dick said evenly.

"It will be fine. _My _Robin wouldn't mind I'm sure." She stated. "He always seemed very laid back and friendly."

Barbara seemed to pause a moment to think about it.

Dick heard himself 'hmp'.

"Are you jealous?" She leveled at him.

"Of course not. My girlfriend is always going on about wanting to meet with some other guy." He couldn't help but say.

"I don't want to meet with him. I just want him to wave at me."

"I can wave at you. I have a hand—two of them in fact."

"It wouldn't be the same."

"I will climb a building and wave at you." Dick said firmly.

Barbara grinned.

"Promise?"

"Promise." Dick agreed.

Bruce was going to kill him.

(line)

A solemn voice over the airport's intercom sounded.

_Flight 231 non-stop Gotham to San Francisco—now boarding._

"That's me." Barbara said reaching down to grab her carry-on. Dick grabbed her hands first. She tried to pull away but he held on tightly.

"Dick, don't cause a scene." She hissed at him while trying to free her hands.

"I won't."

But the mischievous look he gave her said the exact opposite. Giving her a tug, he propelled her against his chest and then with a quick movement, he dipped

her like in a dance. He gave her a long and thorough kiss.

By the time he pulled her up, her face was red.

"What did I just say Richard Joh . . ."

He gave her a quick kiss.

"Don't get so riled up Babs, honestly." His blue eyes were laughing at her.

"You know, I was planning on thanking you for seeing me off since my father couldn't, but now I'm not going to." Barbara said, sticking her tongue out as if she

was a child.

"Now, who is making a scene" He teased her.

"I'm leaving now." Barbara said turning around. Dick's face quickly changed back to being serious.

"Babs . . ."

"I'll be back."

The words were spoken softly.

Suddenly, there they were again like all those years ago—hands clasped, trying to part.

"I know, it's just like a dream almost. I'm trying to make sure that I won't wake up."

"Well, we can both be happy now. Too be honest, I never thought that I would be in this happy of a mood the day that I left. How much happier it is to say see

you soon instead of . . ."

_Flight 231 non-stop Gotham to San Francisco—now boarding_

"Okay, here I go then. Are you going to be here when I get back?" She asked him although she already knew the answer.

"I'll try my best." He responded cryptically.

Barbara shook her head wondering what quite she was missing.

"Well, you better be one of the first people here to welcome me back." She ordered.

"To do what now?" Dick looked confused.

Barbara raised an eyebrow. What was he up to now?

"To welcome me back." She stated carefully.

"Oh." He said simply with a shrug. "I don't know if I can do that."

Barbara furrowed her brow and decided to ask the question that he wanted her to.

"And why is that?"

Dick gave her another shrug as a smile tugged at his mouth.

"Because _I _never said goodbye."

**Random End Notes: **Assuming that we are all still friends even with my tardiness, I really want to thank you for reading and reviewing. You make all my crazy idea seem good and I appreciate it. I would love to hear any thoughts on this concept overall, ideas for character improvement or just any thoughts in general.

I don't have any plans for anything major in the near future, but big things are in the works. I will probably have some oneshots to publish soon which have been sitting around for a while now and I would appreciate any comments on that when I do so. My oneshots always have a wide—wide (wide) range and your opinions are needed so that I can improve myself! Thank you again!

{Dick/Babs because, HELLO! They are perfect for each other!}

Alright you know the drill. Advice, and (gentle) [be nice please! :}] criticism, would be appreciated. Or a haiku if you feel like one.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **BAM! Bet you didn't see this one coming! . . . yeah, neither did I . . .

**Disclaimer: **Batman owners wouldn't make up extra chapters on the fly.

* * *

**Extra Chapter 7**

"This is crazy."

Dick watched as Tim gave a grin and shook his head.

"Well, you are doing it for a good cause and you want her to be happy. I think people are supposed to do crazy things when there are in love."

"I don't think most people are willing to risk the wrath of Batman just for a girl."

"But that's the kind of guy you are." Tim said triumphantly.

"You know he is going to kill us right?" Dick made clear with his younger brother.

"Only if he finds out. I mean he will eventually." Tim amended. "But probably not for a while."

This didn't give Dick great confidence.

"What time are we supposed to meet Barbara?"

"One o'clock on Main Street in front of the bank. From there we will make our way towards the police station in hopes of seeing you."

"This is crazy." Dick repeated.

Tim didn't appear to be listening as he put a flashlight in his backpack.

"Barbara told me that she was going to tell her father that we were going to be 'stargazing'." Tim said using air quotes. "She said that she was tempted to tell

him 'bird watching' but thought that would be pushing a bit."

"You think?" Dick said as he zipped up his jacket. "I hate wearing clothes over the costume. It makes me way to warm."

"Well, tough it out because here we go!" Tim said with gusto.

"You're awfully cheerful about this."

Tim paused and gave a bigger smile.

"I think it's cool that we can do this for her—you know, after all these years."

"We should have just had Nightwing send her a postcard or something instead all this runaround."

"I don't think that is as romantic." Tim said firmly.

Dick shot his younger brother a look.

"Watch it, she _my _girlfriend not his."

"Come on, let's go!"

Dick followed Tim out the door and towards his car.

"I just hope this doesn't backfire." Dick said.

Any hint of anything going on would surely clue Barbara in. She wasn't an idiot.

"It's fine. Just don't act abnormal." Tim said with authority.

"Off we go."

* * *

"Park here!" Tim ordered.

There was plenty of space downtown in the middle of the night.

"And you are _sure_ Bruce won't be in this area." Dick confirmed again.

"He is going to be 'looking for links between the newest gang and the Penguin on the west side." Tim quoted. "So we are in the clear."

Dick nodded as he took the keys out of the ignition.

Tim walked ahead looking for any signs of Barbara.

He stared up at the front of the old back and walked up the concrete steps.

"Barbara?" He whispered.

Dick followed him up and resisted the urge of pulling out his flashlight.

"I'm here." A voice came back.

Dick watched with a smile as Tim took a step towards him as if he didn't want to be scared.

Barbara's form came out of the shadows.

She was dressed completely in black complete with a black cap.

"I was trying to blend in looking like a homeless person." She explained.

"Cutest homeless person ever." Dick said with a smile before he gave her a kiss.

"I feel like I'm supposed to rob a bank. Did you two have any trouble getting away?" She asked.

"No, Bruce is pretty . . . okay with whatever." Dick explained lamely.

"My father took a bit more convincing. I told him we would only be out for a few hours. Isn't this exciting!" Her face lit up.

Dick shook his head. Maybe this was going to be worth it after all.

* * *

"So . . . we just wait here?" Dick asked.

Barbara rolled her eyes.

"We'll make our way slowly to the station. There has to be some crime about to happen." Barbara said while looking up at the sky.

There were always crimes happening in Gotham. Surely that hadn't changed.

She and Tim chattered for a while, but every time Barbara looked over at Dick he was staring at the streets.

"You doing okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, just . . . waiting here."

"I should have asked my dad to turn on the Batlight, but then this plan would have really been blown out the water."

"Most likely." Dick agreed.

"You think this is weird don't you?"

"Noooo." Dick dragged out. "You're just stalking some superhero guy. That is perfectly normal behavior."

"It's not stalking. I don't know where he is." Barbara said defensively.

She would admit that on some level it was maybe kind of weird, but Robin was a part of her childhood in a way and she wanted to know if he was still here.

"Ready to move on?" Tim spoke up.

Barbara nodded.

What if Nightwing wasn't her Robin? The idea was kind of sad.

She pondered the question as she followed Dick and Tim down another street.

They stood in the entrance of an abandoned building and watched the sky.

She was so happy to once again be standing in the middle of the city that she loved—even if it was, at the moment, under unusual circumstances.

"Tim what are you doing?"

Barbara blinked at the sound of Dick's voice.

"Just picking up garbage." The kid explained as he put another piece of newspaper in the trash.

"And we are coming to you LIVE from the streets of Gotham where all the action is." Dick said in an announcer's voice.

Barbara gave him a slap on the shoulder.

"You know, there _would have been _better ways to spend your first Friday night back in Gotham. I was going to take you to dinner—a really nice dinner." Dick

informed her.

"Sorry." She said with a grimace. "But we will have more Fridays—lots now."

Dick smiled and squeezed her hand.

The night went on.

* * *

"So." Dick said with a yawn. "Who wants coffee? I'm buying."

Barbara leaned over and gave Tim a nudge after which he opened his eyes.

"Tim, do you want something to drink?"

"Something with caffeine, lots and lots of caffeine."

Tim blinked a few more times and then his eyes widened as if he remembered.

Dick gave him a nod.

"Alright, I'll be back. Stay safe."

Dick quickly went around the corner and started his watch. Tim had planned this whole thing out.

He quickly ran to the 24/7 little convenience store and ordered the drinks. He then paid for the drinks and asked if he could pick them up in a moment. The man

was confused, but stared at the money and seemed okay with it.

Dick dashed outside and took a left towards the library and started climbing up the fire ladder.

Once on the roof, he stripped down to his costume and pulled his gear out of his backpack.

Fixing his mask, he tried to mess up his hair.

He was ready.

* * *

Barbara switched her lips as she waited. She didn't have forever tonight.

Tim was sitting next to her seeming more alert at the moment.

"This is crazy. Isn't it? She asked him. "It's okay, you can be honest." She told the boy.

"I think people are supposed to do crazy things when they are in love." Tim said softly.

Barbara felt her face turn three different shades of red.

"L . . . love? I don't l . . ."

"Oh, I didn't mean . . . I thought we were talking about Dick." Tim stuttered.

Barbara tried to calm down.

After a few short breaths she felt her face return to normal.

"I wonder where Dick is?" Barbara wondered if she should be worried.

She pulled Tim a little closer as a man walked past.

Maybe this was a crazy idea. Maybe they should just go home.

"Tim, when Dick comes back, let's go home okay?"

"But you haven't seen Nighwing yet!" Tim protested.

"Another time Tim, okay? Don't be disappointed." She said, rubbing his back.

"It's on the _list_." Tim said firmly.

He was referring to the list of things they had come up with to do this summer.

"I know and we will still do it. I just don't think—"

Somewhere a women screamed.

Barbara pulled Tim tighter.

"Let's go find Dick." She said, feeling worried.

Part of her told her to try and find the women, but she couldn't endanger Tim.

"Wait." Tim said, grabbing her arm.

"Tim I think we better go . . ."

"But look!" He hissed in a whisper.

Barbara watched as a figure from the rooftops jumped down.

"What if it's Batman?" She whispered.

Tim's eyes grew wide.

"I don't . . . think it is. I mean . . ."

A woman came running out of the alley and turned the corner.

Barbara held her breath as she heard noises like someone was being beaten up. She hoped it was the bad guy.

A figure reappeared on the roof and seemed to stop.

Barbara loosened up her grip on Tim.

"Do you think he can see us?"

Tim was silent and seemed to be frozen.

The figure dropped down lower on the next roof and she could see him clearer. Not his face so much, but just enough to see it was indeed Nightwing.

Barbara felt an odd sort of shyness come over her.

"Go on." Tim said suddenly. "Wave to him. He's probably wondering if we need help or something."

Barbara's hand felt clammy as she lifted up her hand and gave a short wave.

She felt like a little girl again.

Nightwing lifted his hand and waved his fingers in a rippling motion.

Barbara bit her lip in a smile and lowered her hand.

Tim instantly grabbed it and gave it a squeeze.

She turned to smile at him, and when she turned back Nightwing was gone.

A giggly laugh issued from her mouth.

"Did you see him Tim? Did you see him? He's totally my Robin? Do you think he knew it was me?"

Tim nodded with a big smile.

"I'm so happy for you Barbara."

Barbara gave the boy a hug and looked around.

"Should we call Dick? I'm worried."

"Oh, ah . . ." Tim looked around.

"Do you know where he was getting coffee from?" Barbara tried to remember where the closest convenience store was as she pulled out her phone.

"Uh, kind of far." Tim answered, but he sounded unsure.

Barbara decided just to try texting him first and wait for a response.

Some minutes passed.

"Sorry I can't text back. Hands are full." A voice said.

Barbara turned around to see Dick whose hands were indeed full.

She took her cup before Dick handed Tim his can of pop.

The coffee tasted lukewarm at best.

"Sorry I took so long. How much longer do you want to stay out here?" Dick asked.

"Oh! We saw him!" Barbara said grinning. "We saw Nightwing!"

Dick grinned.

"Well don't leave me in suspense. What happened?"

"He waved back! It's completely the same person." Barbara said with satisfaction.

"I'm glad for you Babs." Dick said before he took a drink.

It was a halfhearted response at best.

Barbara leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"Don't worry Dick, no one could replace you."

"I'm comforted to hear that." Dick said, sounding more satisfied. "Are we heading back? Do you want a lift Babs or did you take your dad's car?"

"I too . . ." Barbara trailed off as he mouth dropped open.

Dick looked alarmed and turned around.

There was nothing.

When he turned back, both Barbara and Tim's mouths were open.

"What?"

"That was _Batman!_ Oh my word I just saw Batman!" Barbara squealed.

She missed the look exchanged between the boys.

"I saw Nightwing and Batman in the same day! If only I could see the new Robin now I might just . . ."

"I don't think that's going to happen." Tim said. His voice sounded odd. "I suddenly don't feel well."

Barbara looked with concern at him.

"Just now?" She asked.

"Yeah, just right now." Tim said looking unwell. All the color was out of his cheeks.

Barbara looked back at Dick who looked kind of ill himself.

"Are both of you alright?" She asked worriedly.

"Yeah, let's get you home." Dick said taking her arm. "Your dad is probably getting worried and I have a feeling that Bruce would like us back too."

"Oh, okay." Barbara said as Dick almost dragged her along the sidewalk. "This was so neat guys, really. Thanks."

"Uh, huh." Tim said while looking around.

"Okay then. Our first item on our summer list is complete."

"Let's just hope the rest are less uneventful." Dick said as he unlocked the car doors.

Barbara paused as she was fastening her seatbelt.

"Why? What happened to you?"

She realized that she forgot to ask him what took so long.

Dick tapped his fingers against the steering wheel of the car.

"It's probably best if you don't know for now."

Barbara tried to figure out if he was being overdramatic or if he was serious. Either way, the funny expression never left Tim's face.

It looked like there were many more things to figure out now that she was back in Gotham.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I literally just wrote this, so it might be terrible, but there you go. I'm really done this time. :) Thanks again.

{Dick/Babs because, HELLO! They are perfect for each other!}

Alright you know the drill. Advice, and (gentle) [be nice please! :}] criticism, would be appreciated. Or a haiku if you feel like one.


End file.
